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The  Kadota  Fig 


The  Kadota  Fig 


A  Treatise  on  its  Origin, 
Planting  and  Care 

By 

W.  SAM  CLARK 

Sultana,  Cal. 


PRICE  ONE  DOLLAR,  POSTPAID 


Published  by 

THE  FIG  AND  OLIVE  JOURNAL 

311  East  Fourth  St..       Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


W.   Sam   Clark 


CO  NT E NTS 

Frontispiece,  Stephen  H.  Taft,  Discoverer  of  the  Kadota  Fig. 

The  Kadota  Fig 1 

Discovery  and  Introduction  of  the  Kadota 3 

Planting 5 

Irrigation    r 6 

Pruning 7 

Picking    13 

Packing     14 

Eastern  Shipping    15 

Canning 17 

Drying     19 

Returns   per  Acre 22 

Prospects  of  the  Kadota  Fig 24 

Kadota  May  be  Caprified 25 

Comparison  with  Foreign  Figs 26 

Basket  Used  for  Picking    (Illustration) 28 

Use  of  Missions  on  Borders 29 

The  Smyrna    30 

The  Adriatic 31 

Standard  Shipping  Box  (Illustration) 32 

Description  of  Kadota  Fruit 33 

Description  of  Tree  and  Its  Habits 35 

How  to  Plant M 36 

Clark  Method  of  Laying  Off  Tract  for  Planting 37 

Frozen .  Nursery  Stock 39 

Fig  Pointers  in  General 41 

A  Canner's  Opinion  of  the  Kadota •  42 

The  Fig  Tree,  by  J.  C.  Forkner 43 

f  flftyrfgllt  1930,  W,  8am  Clark 


Frontispiece 


Stephen  H.  Taft,  Discoverer  of  the  Kadota  Fig 


The   Kadota  Fig 

In  presenting  this  little  book  on  the  Kadota  Fig  to  my  friends  and 
patrons,  I  do  so  with  a  full  recognition  that  so  swiftly  are  we  advancing  in  all 
branches  of  horticulture  and  disposition  of  our  products,  that  a  writer  on  the 
subject  may  produce  something  that  is  hopelessly  antiquated  almost  before  it 
leaves  the  press. 

It  is  only  the  entire  absence  of  anything  printed  regarding  this  horticul- 
tural marvel,  developed  in  late  years,  that  prompts  me  to  put  out  this  regard- 
ing the  Kadota  Fig. 

In  going  back  into  the  history  of  human  progress,  I  cannot  help  but  be 
impressed  with  the  equilibrium  or  co-advancement  of  human  and  horticultural 
achievements.  Each  stage  of  human  advance  witnessed  a  corresponding  ad- 
vance in  the  fruits  and  grains  of  that  age. 

The  personality  of  the  human  race  is  reflected  in  the  products  of  the 
earth,  directly  or  indirectly  as  a  result  of  their  mental  attainments.  From 
earliest  humanity  to  the  present,  from  the  Tropics  to  the  Arctics,  flora  and 
fauna  are  co-existent  and  make  co-advancement. 

Is  it  imaginary  on  my  part  to  attribute  to  the  fig,  the  fruit  nearest  and 
dearest  to  mankind  since  the  beginning  of  time,  a  kindred  nature,  reflecting 
the  color  and  life  habit  of  the  race  which  produced  it?  Can  we  not  see, 
away  back  in  the  haze  and  dimness  of  antiquity,  a  sympathetic  likeness  be- 
tween the  earliest  man,  imperfect  and  erring,  and  the  fig  of  that  time,  a  wild, 
fierce  thing,  scarcely  recognizable  at  present  as  the  forebear  of  the  joyous 
fruits  we  now  produce? 

Is  not  the  Smyrna  fig,  a  product  of  Oriental  advancement,  an  exact  re- 
production of  the  people  who  propagated  it?  Are  they  not  secretive  and 
evasive,  utterly  depraved  on  one  side  of  their  nature,  and  human  perfection  and 
kindness  on  the  other?  Fair  of  skin,  an  object  of  beauty  are  their  females 
in  youth,  and  fading  in  early  age,  yet  a  race  existing  for  centuries  regardless 
of  vicissitudes?  Is  not  the  Smyrna  fig  an  exact  counterpart  of  their  progress 
and  their  lives?  A  thing  of  beauty  and  a  joy  .unsurpassed  is  the  ripened 
perfect  fruit,  yet  secretive  and  a  useless,  deplorable  thing,  unless  by  the  im- 
planting of  an  outside  influence  in  the  form  of  the  wasp,  which  brings  per- 
fection to  the  fruit,  only  as  does  the  winged  spirit  of  Christianity,  carrying  the 
pollen  of  kindness,  an  invisible  leaven,  makes  more  perfect  the  nature  of  the 
race  who  produced  this  fruit?  Long-lived  and  tenacious  of  existence,  neither 
is  fit  for  our  association  unless  by  the  infusion  of  outside  elements  invisible,  al- 
most, but  effective.  Are  not  the  people  and  this  fruit  twin  products  of  their 
time  and  age? 

Is  not  the  Adriatic  fig  also  a  reflection  of  the  peoples  who  associate  their 
existence  with  the  fig  bearing  the  name  of  the  region  whence  they  spring? 
A  hardy,  mountain  people,  who  have  struggled  and  lived  for  ages  in  adver- 
sity, and  who  maintain  an  existence  by  sheer  tenacity  of  spirit,  yet  whose  im- 
perfect human  productions  will  liken  achievements  to  this  fig  which  so  closely 


KADOTA    FIG 


tKcta  ,'iit  Jevpry.'Way.  •'  Does  not  this  fig  thrive  in  adversity,  regard- 
less of  outside  assistance  or  abuse,  and  will  it  not  produce  an  abundance  of 
fruit,  poor  and  imperfect  to  be  sure,  not  true  at  heart  in  all  cases,  yet  a  splen- 
did product  is  obtained  when  transplanted  to  proper  soil,  and  under  correct 
conditions,  and  yielding  readily  to  the  influences  of  the  wasp,  which  we  may 
liken  unto  the  pollen  of  civilization,  which  that  race  of  people  so  hungrily 
long  for  and  respond  to  when  given? 

Are  the  people  of  that  land  and  this  fruit  of  those  people  not  twins,  fair  of 
face  and  color,  typical  in  life  and  spirit?  Each  imperfect,  yet  swiftly  re- 
rponding  to  betterment  when  correctly  applied?  It  strikes  me  so. 

Was  it  not  the  Moor,  strong  and  sturdy,  dark  of  skin  and  warm  of  heart, 
that  transplanted  from  the  shores  of  Tripoli  to  the  hills  of  ancient  Spain,  a 
dark-skinned  fig,  each  a  conqueror  in  its  own  way,  winning  the  land  and 
the  love  of  the  people? 

In  after  centuries,  was  it  not  the  dark-skinned  Padres  of  old  Spain  whose 
indomitable  spirit  and  loving  kindly  ways  blazed  the  Christian  trails  into 
our  western  lands,  bringing  comfort  and  spiritual  cheer,  and  implanting  with 
their  blessings  this  same  old  fig  in  the  sun-kissed  lands  of  California?  Does 
not  this  fig  image  an  exact  reproduction  of  these  patient  and  blessed  men 
who  gave  this  fig  and  their  lives  to  us?  Does  it  not  furnish  physical  shade 
and  protection,  temporal  food  and  spiritual  inspiration  and  lasting  blessings? 
Are  its  fruits  not  sweet  and  pure,  dark  in  color,  yet  never  failing  in  time  and 
season?  Are  not  these  fruits  like  the  silent  Padres  of  old,  ever  welcome  in 
humblest  home,  to  lordly  mansion,  bringing  peace  and  consolation  to  us  all? 
Are  they  not  almost  one? 

Now  comes  the  Kadota,  a  product  of  our  land  and  time.  Almost  with 
meteoric  speed  and  splendor,  from  out  our  western  skies  comes  this  fair-faced 
visitor,  like  gracious  maiden  through  parted  curtains,  a  vision  of  beauty  and 
a  joy. 

Springing  from  the  soils  of  our  thrice  blessed  land  comes  the  product -of 
cur  century.  Its  golden  fruit,  snuggling  in  velvet  foliage  of  deep  dark  green, 
comes  like  the  vision  through  parted  portieres.  With  a  speed  and  swiftness, 
like  our  lives  and  actions,  comes  this  child  of  our  dreams.  How  very  like 
our  people  is  this  tree  and  its  fruit.  Impatient  of  all  delay  it  brushes  aside 
all  granted  prerogatives  of  its  cousins  of  old;  from  babyhood  it  yields  its 
products  with  an  assurance  and  a  certainty  of  the  precocious  child  that  it  is. 

Its  swiftness  and  marvels  of  achievement  exactly  mirror  our  age  and  time; 
its  generosity  and  fair  play  image  the  men  of  our  western  empire,  while  its 
sweetness  and  tenderness  are  the  spirit  of  our  women,  swaying  to  every  im- 
pulse for  betterment  and  improvement,  yet  always  true  and  steadfast  wherever 
placed  by  fortune  or  conditions. 

It  meets  our  every  demand  for  speed  and  certainty.  In  our  race  against 
t'me  we  never  lose  sight  of  fair  play  and  justice.  A  perfect  product  for  a 
given  stipend  is  motto  alike  for  man  and  fig,  and  in  its  travels,  imprisoned  in 
walls  of  glass,  it  carries  visions  of  golden  sunrise  fanned  by  gentle  zephyrs, 
laden  with  scent  of  blooming  fields  and  gardens. 

Or,  wrapped  in  waxen  paper,  the  freshly  gathered  fruit  of  golden  radi- 
ance we  send  like  graceful  carrier  pigeon,  bearing  a  message  to  our  Eastern 
cities,  from  these  lands  of  music  and  pleasure,  of  sunshine  and  plenty,  beside 
our  Sunset  Sea. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


This  fig,  true  product  of  our  land  and  spirit  of  our  people,  brings  us 
fame  and  honor,  while  radiating  pure  joy  and  pleasure. 

Vibrating  from  its  very  heart  are  the  impulses  of  the  Californian;  scat- 
tering with  prodigality  and  western  abandonment  its  harvest  of  luscious  fruits 
and  fulfilled  promises. 

Discovery 

The  honor  and  credit  for  the  discovery  of  the  remarkable  fig  now  known 
as  the  Kadota  belongs  exclusively  to  that  wise  old  horticulturist,  the  late 
Stephen  H.  Taft,  of  Sawtelle,  a  member  of  the  Centenary  Club  of  Southern 
California. 

When  nearing  the  brave  old  age  of  five  score  years  he  crossed  over  the 
sunset  sea,  leaving  behind  him  a  horticultural  triumph  whose  magnitude  and 
value  were  but  faintly  appreciated  even  by  himself. 

As  the  planted  acres  of  this  fig  are  leaping  from  hundreds  into  thousands, 
and  demand  outstrips  all  possible  production  even  now,  only  then  does  the 
true  worth  of  this  fig  appear  and  the  magnitude  of  the  discovery  become  ap- 
parent to  those  interested  in  this  branch  of  horticulture. 

The  original  tree  of  this  variety,  then  a  stranger,  discovered  and  named 
by  Mr.  Taft  and  afterward  distributed,  first  appeared  in  an  orchard  grown 
by  Mr.  Cyrus  Way  of  Whittier,  from  cuttings  furnished  by  Mr.  Theo. 
Hockett,  from  his  orchard  of  Dottatos,  which  in  turn  was  an  orchard  grown 
from  cuttings  imported  from  Europe  in  1887,  by  Mr.  R.  Thompson  of  Or- 
ange County,  California. 

In  the  orchard  grown  by  Mr.  Way  was  one  only  tree  of  most  remarkable 
vigor,  growth,  and  early  production,  and  in  every  way  superior  to  the  bal- 
ance of  the  orchard  surrounding  it.  The  discriminating  judgment  of  Mr. 
Taft  immediately  recognized  in  this  stranger  the  very  qualities  and  virtues  so 
long  sought  by  all  progressive  fig  growers  the  world  over. 

Whether  it  be  an  off-shoot,  a  sport,  or  a  freak  of  nature,  matters  but 
little  to  us  now,  and  its  remarkable  achievements  in  the  few  short  years  of  its 
existence  has  astounded  the  fig  growers  of  central  California,  and  it  now  stands 
at  the  very  head  of  all  figs  of  its  class,  and  has  indeed  created  a  branch  of 
the  fig  industry  all  its  own. 

Introduction 

It  is  perhaps  true  that  no  fruit  ever  grown  has  so  surely  and  so  swiftly 
leaped  into  fame  and  found  a  place  for  itself  in  the  thoughts  and  the  acres 
of  the  progressive  and  discriminating  orchardists  of  California. 

The  advent  of  this  fig  has  revolutionized  the  planting  and  pruning  of  fig 
orchards.  It  has  created  a  new  industry — the  canning  of  fresh  figs  as  other 
fruits  are  canned.  It  has  already  caused  the  installation  of  canning  estab- 
lishments in  several  of  our  interior,  cities,  and  more  are  in  the  formative  stage. 
Coast  cities  had  first  canned  our  crops.  It  has  created  a  new  department  of 
labor — the  skilled  picking  of  fresh  figs. 

This  fig  has  upset  all  the  established  rules  for  irrigation  of  fig  orchards. 
It  has  created  a  confidence  in  the  fig  industry  not  previously  enjoyed  by  the 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


older  varieties,  because  of  its  early  bearing,  tremendous  tonnage,  certainty  of 
crops,  and  unprecedented  demand  for  its  products  and  unparalleled  cash  re- 
turns enjoyed  by  the  planters  who  grow  this  variety,  occasioned  by  the  many 
uses  to  which  this  fruit  is  now  put. 

All  this  and  more  has  been  achieved  by  this  fig  in  the  three  short  years 
since  we  had  the  honor  and  the  pleasure  of  introducing  it  to  the  fig  growers 
of  California,  assembled  in  Fresno,  January,  1917,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
first  Fig  Growers'  Institute  held  at  that  time.  Relatively  but  little  was 
known  before  that  date  regarding  this  fig,  its  uses  and  virtues,  and  the 
publicity  given  it  on  that  occasion  was  all  that  was  needed  to  cause  it  to  leap 
into  the  limelight  and  occupy  the  unique  position  it  now  holds. 

Distribution 

After  Mr.  Taft  had  given  his  new  fig  a  rigid  tryout  in  its  many  uses,  he 
began  the  propagating  and  distribution  of  this  variety,  and  in  1913  I  secured 
from  him  the  rootings  which  constitute  my  original  orchard,  now  six  years  of 
age.  He  was  at  that  time  a  man  somewhere  in  the  nineties.  His  age  and 
limited  acreage  made  it  slow  and  difficult  for  him  to  distribute  very  widely 
his  discovery. 

I  had  had  considerable  correspondence  with  him  and  was  deeply  im- 
pressed by  his  enthusiasm,  foresight,  and  absolute  honesty,  and  fully  appre- 
ciated the  loss  to  the  industry  occasioned  by  his  decease,  which  left  no  one 
in  particular  to  champion  the  cause  of  his  fig.  So  in  a  timid  and  halting  man- 
ner I  attempted  to  carry  on  the  work  he  was  forced  to  drop.  I  soon  discov- 
ered that  others  were  impressed  very  favorably  with  this  fig  and  my  first  nur- 
sery proved  all  too  small  to  meet  the  growing  demand,  and  from  my  first  ven- 
ture to  the  present  time  we  have  never  been  able  to  supply  even  50  per  cent,  of 
the  rootings  desired  by  intending  planters,  and  while  each  year  I  increase  my 
nursery  to  the  greatest  possible  extent  I  still  fall  far  short  of  demands.  The 
saddest  feature  of  this  shortage  of  genuine  stock  lies  in  the  opportunity  it  gives 
to  the  distribution  of  spurious  stock,  secured  from  orchards  of  the  old  "White 
Endich,"  "California  White"  and  "White  Pacific,"  all  collectively  sold  as 
Kadota  or  Little  Kadotas.  These  older  varieties  have  long  been  known  in 
California  and  classed  as  unprofitable  figs.  But  in  general  appearance  they 
so  closely  resemble  the  genuine  Kadota  that  unwittingly  planters  are  accepting 
this  stuff,  and  only  when  too  late  will  they  discover  their  error,  and  two  re- 
sults are  absolutely  certain. 

First,  they  will  grow  a  smaller  tree  and  a  smaller,  poorer  fruit;  and, 
secondly,  the  name  and  reputation  of  Kadota  is  sure  to  suffer  as  these  planters 
in  perfect  faith  and  honesty  will  condemn  this  fig,  naturally  thinking  they  are 
growing  the  genuine,  which  in  their  orchards  is  falling  far  short  of  the  many 
virtues  claimed  for  the  genuine,  and  really  enjoyed  by  those  fortunate  enough 
to  have  secured  true  stock.  So  with  all  the  emphasis  at  my  command  I  warn 
all  planters  to  be  absolutely  sure  they  secure  rootings  of  direct  lineage  to  that 
one  only  tree,  from  which  Stephen  H.  Taft  named  and  secured  his  original 
cuttings.  There  was  no  such  a  fig  as  the  Kadota  previous  to  that  time,  how- 
ever much  nurserymen  claim  to  the  contrary. 

In  my  immediate  vicinity  there  is  an  orchard  of  sixteen  acres,  one-half  of 
which  is  Endich,  the  other  half  Kadota,  and  any  one  may  stand  half  a  mile 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


away  and  instantly  see  the  difference  and  recognize  the  very  row  of  trees 
where  the  two  varieties  meet.  A  nursery  is  now  growing  from  cuttings  taken 
from  that  orchard,  and  the  Japanese  who  will  sell  the  rootings  will  sell 
"Kadotas"  next  planting  season.  He  neither  knows  of  nor  cares  anything  for 
the  Taft  variety,  but  the  demand  will  sell  his  "50-50"  stock  and  many  or- 
chardists  may  hereafter  have  years  of  regrets. 

So  few  are  the  years  since  the  advent  of  this  fig,  and  so  few  are  the 
genuine  nurseries,  that  any  planter  may  easily  prove  the  origin  of  his  root- 
ings.  A  law  protects  a  planter  in  this  state  against  the  purchase  of  stock 
afterwards  proving  to  be  not  true  to  name.  But  that  joke  causes  a  nursery- 
man, within  seven  years,  to  refund  to  the  planter  the  purchase  price  of  his 
rootings.  Wouldn't  that  make  you  smile?  After  seven  years  you  find  you 
were  buncoed,  and  then  get  back  the  25  cents  per  tree  you  perhaps  paid  for 
the  false  rooting! 

Planting,  Cultivating  and  Irrigation — Soils 

Kadota  figs  are  now  growing  in  all  soils  and  beside  every  other  variety 
of  fig  grown  in  California,  and  while  some  soils  are  most  assuredly  superior 
to  others  for  the  production  of  figs,  this  fig  has  demonstrated  that  nothing 
special  in  soils  or  treatment  is  required  to  make  it  out-grow  and  out-bear  in 
tonnage  any  other  fig  with  which  it  may  associate. 

All  figs  should  avoid  pure  sandy  soil;  select  something  heavier  and  use 
sandy  soils  for  something  else.  My  home  orchard  is  planted  in  heavy  adobe 
and  dry-bog.  Loams  are,  in  my  judgment,  most  superior  for  growing  figs,  and 
soils  under-laid  with  hard-pan  which  may  be  blasted  may,  in  the  long  run,  prove 
still  better  than  loams.  The  breaking  up  of  hard-pan  liberates  the  elements 
so  essential  for  the  production  of  a  superior  quality  of  fruit. 

Lime  is  pre-eminently  a  requisite  for  heavy,  meaty,  rich  figs,  and  all 
hard-pans  are  heavily  impregnated  with  lime,  and  more  or  less  so  with  potash, 
sulphur  and  iron,  all  of  which  go  to  make  a  soil  favorable  for  fig  production. 
A  deficiency  of  lime  in  any  soil  will,  cause  a  fruit  to  be  produced  that  dries 
into  a  hollow  shell  of  seeds  and  little  meat.  We  have  all  seen  that  kind  of 
dried  fruit. 

Air  and  water  will  cause  hard-pan  to  disintegrate,  thus  liberating  these 
above  named  values.  The  tree  itself  may  flourish  in  any  soil  deficient  in  lime, 
potash,  sulphur  and  iron,  yet  the  product  of  the  tree  will  be  poor.  Again, 
hard-pan  land  when  blasted  conserves  moisture  below  the  pan,  as  summer 
heat  cannot  evaporate  the  moistures  invariably  found  beneath,  and  the  tree 
will  eventually  push  its  roots  downward  and  laterally,  thus  securing  required 
moisture  at  all  seasons. 

Planting 

Regardless  of  the  price  of  powder,  blasting  of  locations  for  fig  tree  plant- 
ing should  invariably  be  practiced.  First,  a  deeper,  bigger,  better  hole  is 
thus  secured;  filling  the  hole  with  aerated  soil  from  the  surface  insures  strong, 
vigorous  growth  for  three  years  on  the  part  of  the  newly  planted  tree.  Second- 
ly, the  hole  acts  as  a  reservoir  for  the  irrigation  or  rain  which  should  follow 
the  planting,  and  the  cracks  caused  by  the  blast  radiating  laterally  in  all  di- 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


rections  permits  roots  a  freedom  of  spread  not  enjoyed  by  a  tree  planted  in  a 
dug  hole,  whose  sides  are  by  pressure  of  the  spade  tightly  sealed  against  the 
tiny  rootlets.  Blasted  holes  should  invariably  be  filled  and  settled  with  water 
before  tree  is  planted. 

As  fig  rootings  are  the  most  delicate  of  all  the  trees  planted  in  California, 
the  greatest  care  possible  should  be  exercised  in  their  handling.  From  the 
nursery  to  the  tree  hole  all  speed  and  care  should  be  employed.  The  rootings 
should  never  even  for  sixty  seconds  be  exposed  to  hot  air  or  wind.  Spotted 
fig  orchards  everywhere  emphasize  this  caution  and  advertise  the  fact  that 
some  one  either  in  ignorance  or  carelessness,  or  both,  between  the  nursery  dig- 
ging and  the  planting  failed  to  heed  these  well  known  warnings.  So,  learn 
your  nurseryman's  habits  before  you  secure  your  stock  of  rootings.  A  fig  tree 
that  has  been  well  handled  and  well  planted  is  worth  one  dollar  more  than  cost, 
the  moment  the  roots  are  covered.  A  new  fig  orchard  one  year  old  and  1  00 
per  cent,  stand  should  be  worth  $100.00  per  acre  more  than  the  land  was  one 
year  before.  So  use  all  care  and  caution  in  handling  your  rootings. 

Plant  your  rootings  4  inches  deeper  than  they  grow  in  the  nursery,  settle 
the  dirt  with  water  about  the  roots,  and  if  you  are  planting  Kadotas,  then  cut 
away  all  the  tree  1  0  or  12  inches  above  the  ground. 

First,  this  cutting  away  balances  the  top  with  the  lacerated  and  reduced 
root  system  occasioned  by  the  removal  of  the  rooting  from  the  nursery  bed. 

Second,  a  Kadota  is  a  fruit  which  derives  its  greatest  profit  by  selling  as 
fresh  figs,  and  must  be  picked  from  the  tree,  and  a  tall  tree  is  a  very  expensive 
tree  to  pick,  and  ladders  should  be  as  low  as  possible  to  increase  profit  in 
handling  the  fruit. 

Hence,  crown  your  Kadota  at  or  near  the  ground,  induce  a  wide  spread- 
ing tree  by  top  pruning  and  shade  ground  and  trunk  from  frost  and  sun,  and 
double  the  tonnage  of  your  fruit  over  any  and  all  fig  trees  pruned  by  the  old 
obsolete  methods  so  much  in  vogue  in  California.  Forget  the  tillage  under 
your  tree.  Don't  attempt  to  plow  either  deeply  in  a  fig  orchard  or  near  to 
the  tree.  The  roots  that  make  the  tree  are  deep  and  out  of  reach  of  the 
plow.  The  fruit  rootlets  are  almost  invisible,  delicate  and  near  the  surface. 
Plowing  over  6  inches  deep  will  probably  destroy  or  reduce  your  crop.  Deep 
plowing  may  perhaps  be  practiced  if  from  the  first  year  planted  it  is  always 
done  and  roots  always  kept  deeply  down. 

The  grass  under  your  tree  may  be  removed  with  a  hoe.  You  grow  an 
orchard  for  profit,  not  to  satisfy  a  vanity  unfortunately  found  in  many  growers 
regarding  the  appearance  of  their  orchards. 

Irrigation 

If  you  are  growing  a  Kadota  orchard,  keep  in  mind  these  facts:  A  Kadota 
orchard  in  full  bearing  must  mature  a  crop  41/2  months  each  season,  and  a 
tonnage  practically  three  times  that  of  any  other  fig  orchard.  Hence  your 
soil  must  either  possess  or  be  given  more  water  than  the  soil  of  another  orchard 
to  assist  the  tree  in  fulfilling  her  obligations. 

Another  thing:  Remember,  you  cannot  in  any  manner,  shape  or  form  in- 
jure the  tree  or  the  fruit  with  an  excess  of  water  at  any  stage  of  the  fruiting 
season.  So  apply  the  water  before  and  between  crops,  increase  the  growth 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


of  your  tree,  and  every  inch  of  new  growth  on  every  limb  brings  a  new  leaf, 
and  every  leaf  on  new  wood  harbors  a  fig  which  will  ripen  that  season;  so 
force  the  size  and  growth  of  your  trees  whenever  possible. 

All  soils  do  not  require  the  irrigation  I  give  to  my  land,  and  each  planter 
can  use  judgment  according  to  his  conditions.  In  the  growing  season  the 
terminal  bud  should  be  kept  unfolding  into  a  new  leaf.  When  that  opera- 
tion ceases,  water  is  needed. 

In  my  orchard  of  adobe  land  I  irrigate  late  in  April,  or  twice  in  May,  and 
twice  in  July  after  the  June  crop  is  gathered,  and  again  between  crops  in 
August  and  September  if  time  permits.  I  force  the  growth  and  tonnage. 

Pruning 

By  cutting  back  a  newly  planted  fig  tree  to  1 0  or  12  inches  from  the 
ground  you  induce  a  low  dense  growth  near  the  ground  that,  as  the  tree  ages, 
permits  of  an  easy  and  cheap  method  of  gathering  the  fruit  as  above  stated,  and 
you  also  cause  the  trunk  or  body  of  the  tree  to  be  at  all  times  protected  from 
the  elements,  both  winter  and  summer,  and  you  also  provide  a  dense  shade 
conserving  the  moisture  inherently  in  the  soil  or  added  by  irrigation.  All  varie- 
ties of  figs  are  improved  by  this  method  of  pruning,  and  invariably  a  heavier 
tonnage  of  fruit  is  thus  secured. 

For  gathering  figs  ripened  on  the  tree  and  fallen,  the  extremely  low 
branches  may  be  removed  to  permit  the  small  boy  to  rustle  about  under  the 
branches.  But  always  bear  in  mind  that  our  improving  system  of  growing 
orchards  is  getting  us  each  year  farther  away  from  the  old  California  system 
of  driving  a  six-horse  team  under  the  branches  of  our  trees,  and  we  are  also 
learning  that  intensive  cultivation  immediately  under  a  fig  tree  is  not  essential 
to  growth  or  fruit. 

The  best  bearing  old  fig  tree  we  know  anything  of  is  one  in  door-yard, 
fence  corner  or  on  ditch  bank,  where  horse,  teams  or  tractors  never  go. 

The  time  is  rapidly  coming  when  all  varieties  of  figs  desired  for  drying 
will  be  picked  fresh  from  the  tree,  dehydrated,  and  otherwise  handled  in  a 
manner  to  cause  California  dried  figs  to  become  famed  the  world  over.  That 
desired  end  will  not  be  accomplished  with  our  present  methods.  In  connection 
with  that  future  prospect  the  pruning  of  all  varieties  of  figs  must  be  practiced 
along  the  lines  now  accepted  as  the  correct  method  for  pruning  the  Kadola. 
After  planting  cut  tree  back  to  1  0  or  12  inches. 

The  second  season  shorten  all  growth  to  1  6  or  18  inches  and  cut  center 
out.  Third  season  shorten  all  growths  to  1  2  or  18  inches. 

The  fourth  season  the  growth  of  many  branches  should  be  cut  back  to 
16  or  18  inches,  as  in  previous  seasons,  with  this  difference:  You  are  now 
expecting  to  gather  a  considerable  tonnage  of  fruit,  and  the  branches  which 
have  not  made  a  growth  to  exceed  20  or  22  inches  should  not  be  disturbed 
this  season  but  should  be  permitted  to  remain  to  give  you  your  June  crop, 
and  may  be  shortened  next  season  to  proper  length,  and  the  greater  growths 
on  the  tree  should  all  be  cut  away  to  within  1  6  or  18  inches  of  their  union 
with  parent  branch.  In  branching  they  will  give  you  crops  later  in  the  season. 

In  the  season  to  follow,  as  the  tree  increases  in  size  and  age,  leave  all 
short  growths  for  June  fruit,  and,  unless  you  can  cut  away  at  least  6  inches 
and  retain  required  length  of  stub,  do  not  cut.  Small  slender  growths  may 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


Upper  View — Kadota   Fig,   1O  month*   after  planting,  correctly  pruned. 
Lower  View — Kadota  Fig,  22  month*  after  planting;  4  ft.  lath  indicates  spread 
of  branches,  correctly  pruned. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


be  retained  as  fruit  producers  and  shortened  or  remoVed  another  season,  for 
you  will  always  have  plenty  of  cutting  to  do  on  sturdy  growths. 

Always  keep  the  center  of  your  tree  open.  The  bigger  the  tree  the 
greater  the  opening  should  be.  A  crop  will  ripen  in  the  center  of  an  open 
tree,  and  none  to  mention  in  a  jungle. 

Keep  your  trees  low.  Remove  all  upper  branches  that  are  out  of  easy 
reach  of  a  picker  standing  on  a  4-foot  ladder,  or  within  reach  of  picker  stand- 
ing in  the  center  of  your  tree. 

Remove  branches  that  grow  into  the  ground.  Cause  your  tree  by  priming 
to  have  its  greatest  circumference  at  a  point  within  reach  of  a  picker  of 


Kadota  Fig: — Third  pruning.  34  months  after  planting-.  The  "bush"  effect,  so 
essential  for  economy  in  gathering  fresh  fruit,  is  being'  obtained  by  cor- 
rect pruning. 

average  height  standing  on  the  ground;  curving  inward  and  downward  to- 
ward the  trunk,  that  lower  branches  may  not  grow  to  such  an  extent  as  to  im- 
pede picking  when  a  ladder  is  used,  and  upper  branches  must  be  reached. 

Study  your  tree;  do  not  hesitate  to  remove  a  big  branch  to  induce  new 
growths  to  take  its  place  when  it  has  outgrown  its  'usefulness,  and  always 
keep  your  trees  low.  Reducing  height  of  tree  eliminates  the  use  of  ladders  to 
a  great  degree  and  reduces  cost  of  rathering  fresh  fruit,  be  it  Smyrna,  Mis- 
cicn  or  Kadota. 

Summer  pruning  by  pinching  off  terminal  bud  is  not  good  practice ;  a  cluster 
of  limbs  will  rpring  out  where  the  bud  is  pinched;  cut  away  6  or  8  inches  or 
more,  and  1  mbs  will  come  distributed  along,  back  on  the  parent  stock. 


10 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


This  same  tree,  0  months  after  pruning.      One  may  readily  see  the  advantages 
obtained   by  correct  pruning,  as  contrasted  with   my  older  trees. 

The  old  obsolete  pruning  of  fig  trees  is  merely  a  follow-up  of  pruning  sys- 
tems employed  in  New  England  and  other  sections,  where  a  fruiting  tree  was 
not  a  tree  unless  it  was  pruned  up  high  enough  to  drive  a  horse  and  tall 
harness-hames  under  the  lowest  branches  and  not  knock  the  apples  off. 

A  fig  orchard  should  not  be  an  orchard  at  all  in  the  acceptance  of  the 
term.  It  should  be  a  "Fig  Garden"  and  the  trees  should  be  "bushes,"  as  they 
are  on  the  Island  of  Capri. 

This  past  summer  several  of  my  6J/2  year  old  figs  measured  1  00  feet  cir- 
cumference of  the  branches.  The  bearing  surface  was  immense.  Others  were 
75  to  90  feet. 

Closer  planting,  severe  pruning  and  smaller  bushes,  and  more  tonnage  per 
acre,  will  be  the  practices  in  the  near  future  of  all  varieties  of  figs. 

The  pruning  of  a  Kadota  orchard  is  the  most  essential  as  well  as  most 
delicate  task  we  have.  The  limb  of  a  Kadota  tree  produces  fruit  for  18 
months,  and  thereafter  is  a  loafer  in  the  tree,  except  at  the  extreme  tips,  or 
becomes  the  medium  for  the  production  of  other  limbs  that  will  bear  fruit. 

Consequently  I  practice  the  removal  or  shortening  of  all  limbs  past  the 
producing  age.  Cut  a  limb  1  8  inches  from  its  junction  with  its  parent  and  it 
in  turn  becomes  a  parent  for  3  or  5  newer  limbs,  all  new  wood  and  conse- 
quently producers  of  fruit  the  season  following  pruning.  They  get  to  work 
right  now.  They  don't  wait  a  year  and  then  get  busy. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


11 


Kadotas  produce  an  abundance  of  seasonal  growth  of  3  to  7  feet  in 
length.  If  not  cut  back  next  pruning  season  your  trees  will  soon  be  full  oi 
long  fishing  poles  and  while  your  June  crop  will  be  reduced  by  shortening 
back  these  long  growths  to  1  6  or  18  inches,  the  multitude  of  newer  wood 
resulting  from  the  pruning  vastly  over-pays  the  losses  occasioned  by  cutting, 
and  your  tree  is  shaped  better  and  a  greater  percentage  of  your  fruit  is 
secured  without  the  use  of  ladders. 

In  my  orchard  I  found.it  cost  43  per  cent  more  to  gather  a  given  tonnage 
of  fruit  by  using  ladders  than  the  same  tonnage  gathered  by  standing  on  the 
ground. 

Furthermore,  a  Kadota  tree  should  be  kept  pruned  out  in  the  center  to 
permit  sun  and  air  to  enter,  that  a  crop  may  be  gathered  from  the  inside 
circumference  of  the  tree  as  well  as  the  outside  circumference. 

Conduct  your  pruning  along  these  lines  and  increase  your  tonnage  very 
considerably. 

Everyone  has  observed  fig  trees  grown  dense  in  the  center,  tall  slender 
limbs  pushing  up  to  the  light  and  air  at  the  extreme  top  of  the  tree  and  fruit- 
ing only  at  that  point,  entirely  out  of  reach  of  a  picker. 

Remember,  a  fig  tree  produces  only  on  the  tip  ends,  and  on  new  wood, 
and  axiomatically  your  tonnage  will  increase  with  increasing  new  tips  and 
quantity  of  new  wood,  and  the  greater  the  outside  diameter  of  your  tree  the 
greater  the  tonnage  you  will  gather.  Observe  photos  herewith  presented 
showing  trees  six  years  of  age  measuring  over  1  00  feet  in  outside  circumfer- 
ence of  the  branches. 


Kadota  Fig  tree  5%  years  after  planting.  Observe  the  long,  slender,  non- 
bearing  limbs  in  this  tree.  Unwise  pruning  in  first  and  second  years  per- 
mitted this  condition. 


12 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


Go  and  measure  some  1  5 -year-old  Smyrnas  or  Missions  and  find  an  equal 
measurement  and  then  observe  methods  of  pruning  practiced  in  the  past,  and 
you  will  readily  see  where  the  crowning  of  any  fig  tree  three  feet  or  so  from 
the  ground  has  caused  the  owner  yearly  losses  which  could  and  should  have 
been  prevented.  No  tall  tree  can  possibly  have  the  bearing  surface  of  one 
crowned  near  the  ground. 


Same  5%  year  old  tree,  after  pruning-.     Observe  the  length   of  brush  removed; 
wasted  tree  energy   due  to   imperfect   early   pruning. 

Gathering,  Packing  and  Shipping 

When  a  Kadota  fig  orchard  reaches  a  bearing  age,  it  produces  crops  for 
4J/2  months  each  season.  The  first  crop  begins  to  ripen  on  or  before  June  18 
with  us,  and  one  season  ripened  the  first  week  in  June. 

The  fruit  should  be  gathered  while  firm,  yet  fully  matured  and  full 
sugared.  If  it  is  good  to  eat  off  the  tree  it  is  ready  for  shipment.  Otherwise 
don't  pick  it,  as  it  never  puts  on  any  sugar  after  being  picked. 

The  June  crop  is  not  as  good  for  Eastern  shipment  as  subsequent  crops, 
as  it  is  more  watery. 

After  experimenting  for  four  seasons  on  a  basket  to  pick  with  we  decided 
upon  a  light  galvanized  oblong  receptacle  weighing  3  pounds,  and  one  that 
will  la:t  for  many  years.  The  basket  is  3'/4  inches  deep,  14  inches  wide 
and  18  inches  long,  with  !4  inch  iron  bale  with  hook  attached  to  center  of 
bale,  to  hook  on  limb  of  tree  or  on  ladder.  Each  picker  carries  two  baskets 
into  the  orchard  and  when  full  uses  a  yoke  to  carry  to  packing  shed.  Each 
basket  when  full  contains  1  8  to  20  pounds  net. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


13 


We  prefer  3-legged  ladders,  not  to  exceed  4  feet  in  height,  for  picking. 

With  experience  will  come  care  in  the  handling  of  the  fruit.  We  break 
the  fig  from  the  limb,  by  bending  it  in  the  opposite  way  from  which  it  grows. 
Cotton  gloves  are  used  after  two  or  three  days,  as  the  milk  of  the  stem  will 
cut  the  fingers.  Keep  gloves  well  washed.  Scour  baskets  every  night. 

Never  pinch  or  squeeze  a  fig  but  judge  by  color  what  to  gather.  Handle 
with  extreme  care.  Pick  but  one  fig  at  a  time  and  place  carefully  in  the 
backet. 

Pick  each  tree  every  other  day  or  every  third  day  and  gather  all  ripened 
fruit  every  picking  and  keep  trees  clean. 


Picking 

In  my  June  and  August  crops  this  season  (1919)  my  pickers  averaged 
around  400  pounds  daily  to  each  man,  yet  700  pounds  were  often  gathered 
by  one  picker.  My  trees  are  6  years  past  in  age,  and  by  heavy  pruning  for 
several  seasons  I  have  gotten  them  in  fair  shape  for  gathering,  and  have  in 
a  measure  overcome  the  original  mistake  of  high  pruning  of  tree  when  first 
planted. 

When  my  pickers  come  to  the  packing  shed  with  a  load  of  fruit,  they 
weigh  up  their  baskets,  chalk  on  the  chart  their  weight  of  fruit,  and  each  night 
the  tonnage  gathered  is  reckoned  up  and  each  picker  credited  with  his  indi- 
vidual tonnage,  and  as  I  paid  pickers  by  the  hour  and  also  a  bonus  of  j/J  cent 


Another    5^    year    old    Kailotn,    not    properly    pruned    first    three    years.      Take 
note  of  the  wasted  energy  in  the  pruning;  and  poor  shape  of  tree  still. 


14 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


Kadota   Fig*.      Planted   March,   1013.      Photographed    Dee.   4,   11)17 

per  pound  for  all  he  picked,  everything  worked  smoothly  and  careless  pickers 
were  weeded  out  and  best  men  retained. 


Packing 

Experience  is  required -to  pack  successfully  for  Eastern  shipments  in  re- 
frigerator cars  with  grapes  or  other  fresh  fruits. 

Place  figs  in  airy  part  of  car  far  removed  from  the  ice.  They  mold 
badly  if  on  or  against  ice.  Circulating  air  is  preserving  medium  for  fresh 
figs  in  transit. 

In  packing-shed  girls  should  use  care  in  handling  figs.  Once  picked  up, 
each  fig  should  be  placed  immediately  in  box,  either  for  local  cannery  or 
more  select  fruit  for  the  Eastern  shipments. 

The  standard  box  view  shown  on  page  32  is  used  for  one  layer  fruit  of 
larger  sizes.  It  contains  8  to  1  0  pounds  net,  according  to  size  of  figs  used. 
A  layer  of  waxed  paper  is  placed  under  and  over  the  fruit.  Five  of  these 
boxes  are  covered  and  crated  together  when  ready  for  refrigerator  car. 

The  less  classy  figs  of  every  other  size  are  placed  in  deeper  boxes  without 
regard,  and  delivered  to  your  canner,  by  express  or  by  auto  truck  with  auxiliary 
springs  attached  to  fahe  bottom  of  truck  to  minimize  the  jar  and  fret  in 
transportation.  This  false  bottom  is  light  and  removable  from  truck  and  is 
a  wonder  in  saving  the  fruit.  The  canners  separate  sizes  according  to  their 
requirements.  All  soft  and  over-ripe  figs  are  classed  as  seconds  and  are 
packed  for  cannery  in  separate  lug  boxes  and  labeled  as  such  and  bring  about 
one-half  the  price  of  the  solid  figs.  The  girls  become  expert  in  the 
selection  of  the  three  grades  of  figs,  and  if  they  are  careless  they  should  be 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


15 


Kadota   Fig,  4^4   years   after   planting 


replaced  by  others  who  use  their  heads  all  the  time.  The  fruit  is  too  valuable 
and  the  growing  industry  too  great  to  be  injured  in  any  manner  by  heedless 
pickers  and  packers. 

Carefully  dry  all  figs  too  ripe  for  the  canners. 


Eastern  Shipping 

In  shipping  our  figs  to  Eastern  markets,  we  usually  place  from  one  to  five 
packages  of  5  boxes  each  in  the  squeeze  or  brace  of  the  car,  where  air 
circulates  freely  and  far  removed  from  the  ice.  If  the  car  is  in  motion  all  the 
time  the  figs  will  stand  1  2  or  14  days  shipment  and  have  sold  for  fancy  prices 
1  7  days  after  being  picked.  Ten  days  is  standard  time  to  average  Eastern 
destination.  During  the  war  the  congested  railroad  traffic  caused  the  fruit 
trains  to  stand  still  at  times  and  the  moisture-laden  air  of  the  cars  caused  the 
figs  to  mold.  Permit  me  to  quote  Prof.  I.  J.  Condit,  late  horticultural  ex- 
pert of  the  University  of  California,  now  on  the  J.  C.  Forkner  Fig  Garden 
staff  at  Fresno.  He  placed  my  figs  in  refrigeration  last  season  in  tempera- 
tures of  varying  degrees  up  to  the  freezing  point,  and  if  my  memory  serves 
me  right  he  kept  the  figs  not  to  exceed  7  days  without  molding  at  the  most 
favorable  degree  and  others  a  lesser  time.  Had  he  possessed  a  refrigerator 
containing  a  fan  and  circulated  the  air,  I  believe  he  could  have  kept  the  fruit 
much  longer.  Probably  1 0  or  1  5  or  20  days  even. 


16 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


My  figs  have  been  transported  to  Eastern  Canada,  as  well  as  to  all  East- 
ern seaboard  cities,  and  have  sold  for  prices  ranging  from  20  cents  to  50 
cents  per  pound,  and  were  transported  in  ordinary  iced  cars,  consuming  1  0  to 
1  6  days  in  transit.  Hence  my  deduction  regarding  circulation  of  air. 

New  York,  Boston  and  Pittsburg  in  the  East,  and  St.  Louis  in  the  West, 
have  proven  my  best  markets,  while  Chicago  has  invariably  been  my  poorest. 

I  am  informed  that  our  figs  are  retailed  at  1  0  and  1  5  cents  each  and  are 
eaten  out  of  hand  by  the  consumer  in  these  Eastern  markets,  and  the  average 
person  gets  but  a  couple  of  figs  fresh  per  season.  The  market  is  abso- 
lutely undeveloped  and  entirely  unlimited,  and  we  in  California  will  never 
be  able  to  supply  the  Eastern  demand  for  our  fresh  article,  even  when  the 
welcome  day  arrives  when  we  Kadota  growers  can  load  a  full  car  of  figs, 
after  effecting  an  organization  of  Kadota  fig  growers  and  shippers,  and  launch 
a  campaign  of  education  in  the  East  and  forward  our  own  fruit  to  our  own 
selling  agency  and  distributor.  After  we  have  done  these  things,  I  doubt  if 
there  be  acres  of  land  in  California  capable  of  bearing  sufficient  figs  to  pro- 
duce a  supply  that  will  satisfy  local  canners  and  an  educated  consuming 
public  in  the  East.  The  prices  will  always  be  good  and  demand  increasing 
and  prospects  positively  startling. 

With  our  fresh  fig  industry  only  just  born,  yet  so  great  is  the  demand  by 
the  consuming  public,  both  East  and  West,  for  fresh  fig  products,  that  we  can- 
not now  and  perhaps  not  for  25  years  to  come  can  we  plant  fast  enough  nor 


Kadota 


4^  years  after  planting 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


17 


acres  enough  to  cause  supply  and  demand  to  balance  in  that  one  branch  alone ; 
with  only  three  short  years  to  our  credit  we  have  now  two  San  Francisco  can- 
ners  buying  our  fruit,  one  in  San  Jose,  one  just  established  in  the  Forkner  Fig 
Gardens,  Fresno,  to  handle  Kadotas,  one  exclusively  for  Kadotas  at  Reedley, 
one  San  Francisco  firm  located  a  one-unit  cannery  this  season  in  a  Kadota 
orchard  at  Porterville,  one  at  Armona,  which  cannery  alone  is  asking  for  ten 
times  the  Kadota  tonnage  now  in  existence,  and  one  projected  for  Dinuba, 
and  another  in  Stanislaus,  county.  I  can  safely  predict  that  wherever  100 
acres  or  more  of  Kadotas  are  in  bearing  another  cannery  will  be  established 
or,  as  in  Porterville,  a  branch  unit  will  be  started  by  some  firm  operating 
elsewhere. 

In  glass  jars  so  wonderfully  attractive  is  the  fruit  that  it  commands  imme- 
diate sale,  almost  regardless  of  price,  and  when  eaten  so  exceptionally  delicious 
the  flavor  as  to  mortgage  a  consumer's  pocketbook  for  life. 


Canning 

The  canning  of  fresh  figs  deserves  a  chapter  all  to  itself;  space  does  not 
permit  me  to  so  digress,  however. 

The  marketing  of  ripe  figs  in  glass  and  tin  as  preserved,  jammed,  spiced, 
marmalade,  candy,  paste,  cake  filler,  and  other  uses  has  been  practiced  for 
some  years  by  canners  in  Texas  and  Louisiana,  where  the  drying  of  figs  was 
impractical,  due  to  climatic  conditions.  They  there  used  a  fig  known  as  Mag- 


Kadota  Fig,  4yz  years  after  planting.     Heavily  irrigated  firsl 
feet   circumference   of   bearing  surface. 


three  years.     90 


18  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


nolia,  which  when  compared  with  a  Kadota  is  a  vastly  inferior  product.     Yet  a 
ready  sale  and  increasing  demand  has  always  consumed  their  production. 

Immediately  canning  of  the  Kadota  began  the  trade  clamored  for  that 
beautiful  and  most  truly  delicious  article  and  today,  only  three  years  since 
the  first  Kadota  was  preserved  in  glass,  a  trade  has  become  eztablished  thai 
absorbs  immediately  every  jar  processed  and  orders  placed  for  ten  times  the 
capacity  of  orchard  supplies.  We  are  totally  unable  to  supply  the  demand  at 
present  of  even  the  few  canners  preserving  our  products. 

While  the  Eastern  markets  pay  splendid  prices  for  our  fresh  Kadotas,  yet 
so  insistent  is  the  demand  from  preserving  plants  that  this  past  season  (1919)  I 
never  shipped  even  one  box  East.  Canners  got  them  all;  canners  take  all 
sizes  and  utilize  every  pound  produced,  firm  or  over-ripe,  and  every  evening  the 
day's  pick  is  delivered  to  the  preserving  plant  in  perfect  condition,  there  placed 
in  jars  ranging  in  size  from  4  figs  as  individual  service  jars,  to  12  figs  for 
family  use,  and  larger  containers  of  tin  for  jams  and  fillers. 

With  a  market  embracing  the  whole  United  States  and  Canada,  which  is  a 
great  consumer  of  sweets,  and  also  Europe,  where  canning  of  figs  is  not  prac- 
ticed extensively,  the  future  outlet  at  fancy  prices  for  our  Kadota  fig  crops  is 
assured. 

Overproduction  is  an  impossibilty 

Peaches  are  raised  and  canned  in  every  state  in  the  Union  and  part  of 
Canada.  There  is  no  lack  of  a  market  at  good  prices  to  the  grower  of  peaches. 
Apples,  the  same,  plums  also,  all  fruits  the  same.  Vegetables  are  grown  and 
canned  everywhere.  The  demand  increases,  more  canneries  are  being  built 
in  every  state.  Overproduction  seems  improbable.  City  populations  are  grow- 
ing rapidly.  Country  production  areas,  slowly.  Demand  seems  to  be  out- 
running production  of  the  Nation.  Better  financial  conditions  call  for  better 
food  products.  Consumption  pnly  awaits  production. 

Therefore  with  only  a  limited  area  in  California  growing  the  most  de- 
licious of  all  fruits  the  world  produces,  delivering  to  consumer  in  a  package 
sanitary  and  lasting,  a  delight  to  eye  and  palate,  we  in  confidence  may  plant 
to  our  greatest  extent  this  superb  fruit,  fearing  no  competition,  fearing  no  crop 
failure,  knowing  that  from  planting  the  tree  until  crop  harvesting  we  wait  but 
three  short  years;  our  golden  future  is  certainly  spanned  by  a  rainbow  of 
splendid  promise. 

Prices,  Fresh  and  Dry 

I  planted  my  orchard  in  1913.  In  1915  I  packed  my  ripe  figs  in  one- 
layer  boxes  and  shipped  to  Los  Angeles  and  San  Francisco.  I  soon  found 
the  California  consumers  of  fresh  figs  had  been  soured  on  white  figs.  They 
perhaps  had  gotten  too  often  Adriatics  and  Smyrnas  that  were  sour  or  con- 
tained mold  and  they  were  skeptical  regarding  the  Kadota,  which  was  new  to 
them.  They  demanded  the  black  or  blue  fig  long  known  to  them;  generally 
the  Mission  variety. 

I  received  from  8  to  1  2  cents  per  pound,  but  transportation,  truckage  and 
commission  ate  up  my  profits.  As  my  trees  were  young,  the  fruit  was  small, 
they  dried  poorly  and  we  had  not  discovered  the  canning  demand  at  that  time. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  19 


So  the  next  season,  1916,  in  August,  I  tried  the  Eastern  shipment  plan;  it 
worked  beautifully  and  I  received  $2.30  per  box  for  my  first  consignment; 
that  was  an  8-pound  box  (net).  My  prices  ranged  from  $1.75  to  $2.50  per 
box  that  season  and  but  few  were  lost. 

My  dried  figs  that  season  sold  at  the  regular  Adriatic  prices  then  prevail- 
ing. 

In  1917,  I  was  shipping  East  also,  but  the  Pacific  Coast  Syrup  Company 
of  San  Francisco  had  corttracted  to  take  all  my  smaller  figs  at  61/?  cents  f.  o.  b. 
and  furnished  boxes  and  transportation. 

In  1918,  we  again  contracted  with  the  canners,  with  prices  on  the  June 
crop  at  6J/2  for  firm  fruit  and  4  cents  for  seconds,  and  the  crops  following 
July  1st  brought  8  cents  per  pound,  or  $160.00  per  ton. 

Our  1919  contracts  called  for  8  cents  per  pound  for  all  figs,  big  and  little, 
up  to  and  including  July  1  st,  and  all  figs  delivered  thereafter  bringing  9  cents 
per  pound,  which  means  almost  one  cent  per  fig,  or  $180.00  per  ton  for  our 
fresh  fruit.  Opening  prices,  1  920,  are  1  0  cents  for  perfect  fruit. 

Because  of  the  lack  of  tonnage  of  dry  Kadotas,  no  special  featuring  of 
them  has  been  possible,  to  command  a  special  price,  because  of  the  fact  that 
they  never  sour,  split  or  mold;  hence  we  receive  regular  Adriatic  prices  for 
such  tonnage  as  we  offer  for  sale. 

Drying 

The  Kadota  fig  will  dry  and  fall  from  the  tree  exactly  as  do  any  of  the 
other  varieties.  They  are  not  a  good  dried  article  until  the  tree  is  4  or  5  years 
of  age,  and  full  sugar,  flavor  and  sizes  are  attained  by  the  fruit. 

The  August  and  September  crop  may  be  caprified  exactly  as  is  the 
Smyrna,  and  a  heavier,  sweeter,  full-meated  fig,  filled  with  big,  plump,  fertile 
seeds,  is  the  result. 

A  caprified  Kadota  when  ripening  fails  to  take  on  the  beautiful  golden 
color  of  the  uncaprified  fruit  and  remains  until  drying  a  decided  green  shade, 
which  fades  away  as  drying  progresses,  leaving  a  very  white,  attractive  and 
delicious  dried  fig. 

The  University  of  California  has  furnished  us  with  an  analysis  of  our 
caprified  product  and  we  have  been  enabled  to  compare  these  results  with 
the  analysis  of  imported  Smyrnas,  finding  from  3  to  1  2  per  cent  more  sugar 
in  the  California  raised  Kadota  than  is  found  in  the  imported  Smyrna. 

If  Kadotas  chance  to  be  raised  in  remote  locations  and  drying  is  desired 
instead  of  fresh-shipping,  the  grower  has  it  coming  and  going  over  planters 
growing  either  Adriatic  or  Smyrnas,  inasmuch  as  he  raises  a  June  crop  which 
he  may  dry  and  which  the  other  white  varieties  do  not  produce,  and  while  he 
cannot  caprify  that  crop,  he  may  fertilize  the  August  and  September  crops 
and  thereafter  until  November  1 5  continue  to  gather  and  dry  additional 
tonnage  from  his  Kadotas  at  a  season  when  the  Smyrna  and  Adriatic  have 
ceared  to  produce. 

In  drying  our  figs  by  the  present  time-worn  methods,  we  all  over-dry 
them,  making  tough,  leathery  fruit,  neither  attractive  nor  palatable,  as  com- 
pared to  what  we  could  produce  if  we  were  to  advance  our  methods  in  fig 
production,  as  we  have  in  all  other  commodities.  I  long  for  the  day  to  come 
when  the  dry-fig  producers  will  achieve  those  commendable  results. 


20 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


Even  now  we  may  finish  drying  our  fruit  in  the  shade,  tray  on  tray  or  in 
sheds,  and  by  dipping  our  dried  fruit  in  a  2  or  2J/29<  salt  solution  and  then 
packing  them  temporarily  in  receptacles  free  from  the  infestation  of  the  fig 
pests,  we  will  derive  great  good.  Deliver  early  to  the  packers  that  they  may 
properly  process  and  carton  the  fruit.  For  home  supplies  or  for  gifts  to  distant 
friends,  dip  dry  figs  in  boiling  salt  water  (2  oz.  salt  to  one  gallon  of  water) 
and  immediately,  while  heated  through  and  through  and  still  dripping,  place  in 
tins,  press  down  lid,  and  seal  with  wax  and  the  fruit  will  remain  sterilized, 
moist  and  perfect  for  years.  Even  card-board,  wax-dipped,  or  empty  coffee  tins 
are  very  good. 

Under  the  above  caption  I  ask  my  readers  to  permit  me  a  little  digression. 
From  earliest  childhood  I  have  loved  the  fig,  and  worshiped  the  spreading  fig 
tree.  Location  and  climatic  conditions  in  my  boyhood  home  made  impossible 
the  successful  growing  of  the  commercial  fig,  yet  distance  did  not  discourage 
my  intimacy  with  the  occasional  fig  tree  planted  by  the  early  Spanish  settlers 
in  my  California  birthplace.  I  knew  every  tree,  its  actions  and  production 
for  20  miles  on  every  side.  Their  lack  of  care  and  protection  hurt  me  as  the 
suffering  of  a  little  child.  The  balsam-like  odors  of  the  old  fashioned  tree, 
that  filled  the  coft  and  balmy  summer  nights,  was  rarest  perfume  to  me,  and 
no  fruit  that  grows  is  half  so  delicate  and  delicious  to  my  man-grown  fancy 
as  was  the  ofttimes  stolen  fruit  of  those  lonesome  and  neglected  fig  groups. 
In  rocky  canyon  beside  the  clear  cold  springs,  or  in  valleys,  near  adobe-walled 
home  of  Spaniard  or  Forty-niner,  then  stood  and  yet  stand  today  these  monu- 
ments to  our  early  settlers.  Ever  they  bear  and  ever  as  sweet  as  then.  With 
sadness  and  sorrow  have  I  sat  my  little  mustang  pony  under  the  shadows  of 


Six  year  old   Kadota.      Picker  gathering1  fresh   fruit 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  21 


the  first  California  Smyrna  figs  grown  and  opened  with  jack-knife  fig  after 
fig,  and  meditated  why  it  was  not  matured.  No  one  could  help  me  guess, 
and  no  wasp  was  there;  the  sweet  old  Mission  was  ever  true  and  kind  to  boy- 
hood appetite.  The  splitting  and  souring  of  Adriatic  added  only  another 
burden  then  to  my  struggling  imagination,  why  such  delicious  products  of 
earth  were  not  perfect. 

As  a  boy  with  pockets  ever  stocked  with  sun-dried  figs,  when  chance  or 
season  permitted,  I  have  come  down  the  years  into  the  fig  game  proper,  and 
still  the  longing  for  a  better  product  holds  upper  sway  in  my  thoughts.  Then 
as  now,  I  longed  for  a  better  fruit. 

The  sun-dried  fig  must  go  its  way.  There  are  better  and  surer  methods 
yet  to  be  practiced.  Only  by  organization  and  co-operation  will  this  desired 
goal  be  reached. 

Little  is  it  realized  by  the  fig  men  of  California  that  in  their  very  midst 
is  that  force  of  mind  and  money  working  day  and  night  that  will  raise  to  the 
very  forefront  the  fig  industry  of  Central  California  and  place  it  in  years  to 
come  second  to  none  in  the  wondrous  products  of  our  soil  and  climate.  That 
force  of  brains,  genius  and  irresistible  progress  is  now  seen  but  not  recognized 
in  the  Forkner  Fig  Gardens  Company,  who  slowly  passed  the  silver  wand, 
tipped  with  the  golden  eagle,  over  the  desert  acres  north  of  the  city  of  Fresno, 
and  baby  fig  orchards  spring  into  the  warming  sunshine,  and  far  as  eye  can 
reach  still  other  gardens  come.  With  the  maturing  of  these  wondrous  acres 
will  come  into  existence  through  the  ability,  brains  and  money  of  those  gifted 
men,  a  knowledge  of  figs  not  dreamed  before,  and  by  them  methods  will  be 
employed  that  will  shame  our  best  products  of  today  and  make  them  seem 
crude  indeed. 

Accumulated  by  that  body  of  men  is  knowledge  of  the  past,  all  the 
wisdom  of  the  present,  aspirations  for  the  future  and  betterment  of  this  age- 
old  but  neglected  industry,  and  sure  as  the  passing  of  the  seasons  all  fig 
growers  will  benefit  from  the  studies  and  experiments  of  those  men.  Quality 
will  follow  production,  and  perfection  will  be  their  goal,  that  the  products 
of  these  fig  gardens  when  offered  to  the  consuming  public  be  not  alone .  a 
pleasure  and  a  joy  but  a  combination  of  food  and  confection.  The  perfection 
in  handling  figs  which  these  men  will  achieve  will  practically  eliminate 
European  competition,  but  with  the  passing  of  that  menace  must  also  pass 
our  present  crude  and  unsatisfactory  practices. 

The  dry  fig  of  the  future  will  be  hand-picked  from  low-crowned 
modern-grown  orchards,  the  full-sugared  jelly-ripe  fruit,  blanched  and  made 
tender  by  super-heated  steam,  dehydrated  by  methods  other  than  sun-heat; 
and  the  finished  product  semi-transparent,  retaining  full  weight,  flavor  and 
delicacy,  will  be  offered  to  the  ever-increasing  trade,  in  tasty,  attractive  forms, 
and  for  distant  consumption,  packed  in  glass  and  tin,  sterilized  and  sealed, 
where  deterioration  cannot  occur  and  time  will  occasion  no  loss.  Such  a 
product  cannot  be  produced  in  California  in  quantity  to  meet  demand,  and 
over-production  will  be  the  mirage  that  fades  into  thin  air. 

Improved  methods  in  production  of  all  commodities  have  always  proven 
cheaper  than  the  crude  methods  employed  by  the  pioneer  in  any  project,  and 
the  betterment  of  the  fig  product  will  be  no  exception. 


22  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


The  saving  in  weight  by  hand-picking  eliminating  other  losses  now  sus- 
tained, will  meet  additional  cost  of  preparation,  and  improvement  of  finished 
product  will  naturally  bring  sufficiently  better  prices  to  meet  all  expenses, 
and  with  organization  will  follow  the  elimination  of  one  or  more  middlemen 
between  producer  and  consumer,  and  lessened  cost  to  consumer  will  be  at- 
tended with  increased  consumption.  The  world  must  look  to  California 
alone  for  this  betterment  in  figs,  and  from  the  Forkner  gardens  may  we  expect 
these  changes  to  be  inaugurated,  where  knowledge,  modern  methods,  or- 
ganization and  money  are  incorporated  and  aided  by  science  and  skill. 

Returns  per  acre  to  date 

As  my  orchard  was  planted  in  March,  1913,  it  is  but  six  and  a  hall 
years  of  age  at  the  present  writing.  It  is  on  heavy  land  and  has  had  good 
care.  As  I  chanced  to  be  a  pioneer  in  the  growing  of  this  fig,  I  could  obtain 
no  advice  on  its  habits  and  no  man  could  aid  me.  Methods  formerly  used 
were  considered  practical  and  proper,  and  while  debating  planting  methods 
one  man  of  experience  said:  "Oh,  a  fig  is  a  fig;  they're  all  alike." 

Right  there  my  mistakes  and  troubles  started  and  I  am  paying  the  bills 
now  and  will  for  years  to  come  pay  for  my  ignorance  in  my  older  orchard. 
Fortunately  I  can  save  to  all  others  now  labor,  years  and  money.  What  I 
have  written  and  spoken  in  the  past  few  years  has  been  the  results  obtained 
from  actual  experience,  some  of  it  sad  and  very  expensive. 

As  a  result  of  my  mistakes  the  financial  returns  herewith  presented  from 
my  orchard  are  necessarily  less  than  I  could  expect  to  obtain  now  under 
similar  conditions,  now  that  our  knowledge  of  this  fig  has  vastly  broadened. 
I  planted  my  orchard  36  x  36 — or  34  trees  per  acre  instead  of  25  x  25  or 
69  trees  per  acre.  In  1915  I  grossed  about  $20  per  acre  or  60  cents  per 
tree.  In  1916  I  "netted"  $74.00  per  acre  or  about  $2.00  per  tree.  In 
1917  I  grossed  $125.00  per  acre  or  $3.70  per  tree,  and  it  rained  for 
several  weeks,  making  picking  in  my  adobe  land  impossible.  Losses  were 
considerable. 

In  1918  I  grossed  $198.00  per  acre  of  2754  pounds,  or 
$5.82  per  tree  of  81  pounds,  and  hot  winds  in  June  caused  a  loss,  and  the 
continued  rains  in  the  autumn  made  picking  impossible  for  over  three  weeks. 
Our  1919  crop  in  June  netted  2125  pounds  per  acre  or  $1  70.00,  which  was 
$5.00  per  tree.  Three  blazing  hot  weeks  in  July  with  temperature  ranging 
from  100°  to  118°  in  the  shade  set  a  new  heat  record  for  our  section  and  all 
figs  and  fruits  suffered.  Our  season's  record  was  cut  down  50 r/f  earlier  esti- 
mates and  our  orchard  grossed  us  $13.10  per  tree.  Earlier  estimates  were 
$25.00  per  tree. 

The  above  prices  were  obtained  while  we  were  experimenting  in  growing, 
pruning  and  marketing.  All  that  is  now  saved  the  grower  of  the  future,  and 
had  our  orchard  been  planted  at  the  now  approved  distances  of  25  x  25  or 
69  trees  per  acre,  even  under  the  handicaps  we  were  compelled  to  overcome 
the  results  should  have  stood  something  like  this: 

Third  summer,  $41.40  per  acre. 

Fourth  summer,  $138.00  per  acre. 

Fifth  summer,  $255.00  per  acre. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


23 


Sixth  summer,  $401.58  per  acre. 
Seventh  summer,  $903.90  per  acre. 

To  the  fig  grower  of  other  varieties  these  figures  may  seem  absurd,  but 
he  must  remember  we  are  dealing  with  something  newer,  and  marketed  in  a 
different  manner  than  anything  of  which  we  have  ever  had  knowledge  in 
the  past. 


Six  year  old  Kadota.     Correctly  pruned  In  first  three  years. 


The  following  letter  speaks  for  itself.     It  reads  in  part  as  follows: 

1961    Wilcox  Ave.,  Hollywood,  Calif.,  October   15,    1917. 
Mr.  W.  Sam  Clark,  Sultana,  Calif. 

Dear  Sir: — I  have  read  and  re-read  your  article  in  the  proceeding  of 
the  Fig  Institute  of  January,  1917.  I  have  a  small  orchard  of  Kadota  Figs, 
which  I  planted  twelve  years  ago,  having  secured  my  rootings  from  Mr. 
Stephen  H.  Taft  as  you  did.  I  knew  when  you  secured  your  rootings,  some 
years  ago.  I  am  experimenting  with  intensive  cultural  methods  with  this 
fig.  *  *  *  When  my  trees  were  six  years  old,  I  sold  my  entire  crop 
green  to  Hotel  Alexandria  for  twenty  cents  per  pound.  In  September  of 
that  year  I  sold  $100.50  green  figs  from  my  six  trees.  *  *  *  By  my 
methods  of  culture  many  of  my  figs  attain  a  size  of  one-fourth  to  one-third 
and  some  almost  one-half  pound  EACH.  *  *  *  One  year  I  sold  my 


24  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


entire  crop  to  Hotel  Angelus  at  fifteen  to  twenty-five  cents  per  pound,  selling 
700  pounds  from  my  six  trees,  averaging  twenty  cents  per  pound  season 
average  (average  $23.20  per  tree). 

Other  seasons  have  sold  entire  crop  in  bulk  off  the  trees  to  Lankershim, 
Van  Nuys  and  Beverly  Hills  Hotels  at  a  flat  rate  of  twelve  and  a  half  cents 
straight.  *  *  *  By  intensive  culture  my  figs  on  the  extreme  six-inch  tip 
of  the  limbs  attain  immense  size  and  crowd  one  another  off,  there  being  ten 
to  fifteen  figs  clustering  on  extreme  tip  of  the  limb.  *  *  *  I  prune  my 
trees  back  very  severely  to  permit  of  green  picking,  as  I  don't  like  to  climb 
to  the  clouds  to  gather  my  figs.  *  *  *  I  have  a  few  rootings  for  sale, 
my  price,  like  Mr.  Taft's,  being  fifty  to  seventy-five  cents,  and  for  especially 
fine  trees  I  have  received  as  high  as  $2.00  each. 

Respectfully, 

JOHN  H.  OLIVER. 

The  Prospects  of  the  Kadota  Fig 

W.  SAM  CLARK 
(Paper  at  Fig  Institute,  1919) 

By  the  prospect  of  any  undertaking  we  mean,  in  reality,  the  possibilities 
which  that  undertaking  holds  in  store  for  its  promoters.  To  gain  a  view  in 
the  mind's  eye  of  the  prospect  or  possibility  of  any  undertaking  we  must  in  a 
great  measure  be  guided  by  what  has  transpired  in  the  past,  regarding  that 
same  object,  and  we  say  the  prospects  are  either  good  or  poor. 

Regarding  the  Kadota  fig  we  are  compelled,  most  emphatically,  to 
pronounce  the  prospects  good. 

We  may  say  in  all  truth  and  sincerity  that,  judging  the  future  by  the 
short  past,  these  prospects  exceed  all  our  expectations,  and  even  our  fondest 
hopes  bid  fair  to  be  out-realized. 

In  speaking  of  the  Kadota  fig  I  refer  only  to  that  fig  distributed  by  the 
late  Stephen  H.  Taft  and  named  by  him,  to  distinguish  this  strain  from  sev- 
eral other  varieties,  now  ofttimes  being  marketed  under  the  popular  name  of 
Kadota;  therefore  planters  should  be  absolutely  sure  of  the  origin  of  the 
rootings  they  set  out. 

A  few  years  ago  the  Kadota  was  an  experiment.  Today  it  is  an  ac- 
complished fact.  It  has  sprung  to  the  very  head  of  every  fig  in  its  class,  and 
we  might  say  it  is  almost  in  a  class  by  itself;  yet  in  some  respects  it  overlaps 
the  granted  prerogatives  of  some  of  the  older  varieties.  I  refer  now  to  its 
caprifying  and  drying  qualities.  I  will  dwell  upon  these  points  a  little  later. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  25 


In  speaking  of  the  prospects  of  this  fig  we  must  base  our  statements  and 
expectations  upon  its  record  in  California  during  the  last  ten  years,  since  it 
was  introduced  and  distributed. 


Advantages 

First  of  all,  we  have  a  fig  of  wonderful  growing  habits;  it  outstrips  by 
far  all  others. 

Secondly,  we  have  a  fig  that  bears  in  its  tender  infancy.  From  planting 
to  crop  gathering  is  but  a  very  few  short  years. 

Third,  we  have  a  fig  which,  under  proper  care  and  cultivation  in  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley,  ofttimes  attains  a  size  of  3  and  3J/2  inches  in  diameter, 
while  from  about  Los  Angeles  even  larger  sizes  are  reported.  Not  all  the 
figs  on  every  tree  are  thus  in  size,  neither  are  all  the  figs  extremely  large  on 
any  other  variety  of  fig  tree.  The  Kadota  in  reality  has  three  sizes,  and  each 
has  its  particular  market. 

Fourth,  we  have  a  fruit  in  demand  in  many  markets.  By  that  I  mean 
we  have  a  fruit  for  canning  and  preserving  in  many  forms,  and  a  fig  for  long 
distance  shipment  to  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and  to  population  centers  impos- 
sible of  fig  production. 

Fifth,  we  have  a  variety  here  that  bears  a  tremendous  crop  four  and 
one-half  months  every  summer.  The  cycle  of  its  ripening  period  is  roughly 
30  days,  shading  slightly  either  way  according  to  weather  conditions,  the 
first  cycle  being  in  June,  the  others  August,  September,  October  and  Novem- 
ber 15th. 

Sixth,  this  fig  is  now  succeeding  in  any  soil  and  under  nearly  all  con- 
ditions in  the  Valley  where  any  of  the  older  varieties  now  succeed,  and  is 
proving  as  hardy  under  extreme  cold  and  drouth  as  any  of  the  others,  and  it 
leads  them  all  when  early  rains  come.  For  rains,  fog  and  dampness  are  no 
disaster  to  this  variety.  These  conditions  simply  retard  ripening  and  the  crop 
awaits  return  of  normal  weather  conditions  and  continues  its  ripening,  until 
the  November  cold  closes  the  season. 


May  be  Caprified 

While  this  fig  is  primarily  a  green  shipper  and  a  canning  and  fresh 
eating  fig,  second  to  none  ever  grown,  yet  this  fact  remains:  So  easily  are 
they  caprified  that  a  grower  may  fertilize  his  August  crop,  gather  it  as  any 
other  dried  fig  crop,  and,  when  the  Capri  wasp  is  no  longer  obtainable,  he 
may  resume  his  green  shipping  for  two  and  one-half  months  longer. 

As  the  Kadota  fig  has  never  under  any  circumstances  been  known  to 
sour,  split  or  contain  mold  of  any  kind,  the  dry  article  is  most  satisfactory  for 
all  purposes,  and  when  caprified  and  mixed  with  dried  Symrnas  experts  assure 
me  they  cannot  separate  the  varieties. 


26  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


Results  of  Caprifying 

While  on  this  subject  of  the  dry  and  caprified  Kadota  fig,  permit  me  to 
read  to  you  extracts  from  a  communication  I  received  some  time  since  from 
Prof.  I.  J.  Condit  of  the  University  of  California  on  this  subject: 

"Fresh  Kadota  figs  caprified  were  received  from  you  August  22,  1918. 
I  made  the  following  notes  on  these  specimens;  the  exterior  appearance  of  the 
two  are  markedly  different. 

"First,  the  color  of  the  uncaprified  Kadota  is  a  light  golden-yellow,  and 
the  surface  is  somewhat  glossy;  the  color  of  the  caprified  Kadota  is  green  or 
yellowish-green,  and  the  surface  is  dull. 

"Second,  the  ribs  of  the  uncaprified  fruit  are  practically  absent  and  un- 
noticeable;  in  the  caprified  fruit  the  ribbed  appearance,  especially  in  the 
wilted  specimens,  being  netted  and  roughened,  by  the  slightly  elevated  longi- 
tudinal cross-veins. 

"Third,  the  meat  or  rind  seems  to  be  little  affected  in  thickness  or  tex- 
ture. Whether  the  naturally  excellent  keeping  and  shipping  qualities  are  im- 
paired by  caprification  I  cannot  say. 

"Fourth,  the  uncaprified  Kadota  is  practically  seedless,  or  the  seeds  are 
so  small  and  so  few  in  number  as  to  be  hardly  noticeable.  The  seeds  in  the 
caprified  Kadota  are  numerous,  fairly  large,  and,  of  course,  fertile. 

"Fifth,  the  difference  in  flavor  is  distinct,  the  caprified  fruit  being 
sweeter  and  richer.  Tests  of  the  sugar  content  (Balling)  were  made  with 
Prof.  Cruess'  assistance,  with  the  following  results:  caprified  figs,  35.2%; 
uncaprified  figs,  28.4%. 

"Three  figs  were  weighed,  and  the  fertile  seeds  in  each  counted,  with 
the  following  results: 

(1  )    25.5  gr 544  fertile  seeds 

(2)  31.5   gr 412   fertile  seeds 

(3)  30       gr 402   fertile  seeds 

Now  follows  a  letter  to  Prof.  Condit  from  Prof.  M.   E.  Jaffa,  dated 

Dec.   15,  1917,  regarding  "Dried  Kadota  Figs": 

"Mr.  Albro  has  determined  the  percentage  of  sugar  and  moisture  in 
the  two  samples  of  Kadota  figs,  which  you  left  with  us,  with  the  following 
results : 

Kadota  Figs 

Caprified  Uncaprified 

Water    22.57%  25.75% 

Total  sugar 75.36  68.16 

Comparison  with  Foreign  Figs 

The  above  results,  as  I  have  presented  them  to  you,  are  from  our 
University  professors,  upon  the  Kadota  fig  both  fresh  and  dry.  Now  permit 
me  to  give  you  for  a  comparison  the  analysis  of  the  Smyrna  and  other  Euro- 
pean imported  figs  dry,  as  reported  by  Dr.  Gustav  Eisen  in  his  volume  en- 
titled "The  Fig,  Its  History,  Culture  and  Curing." 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  27 


On  page  285  we  find  his  analysis  of  California-grown  Adriatics  as 
57%  sugar,  and  that  of  imported  Smyrnas  at  62.50%;  a  second  sample  of 
Smyrnas  he  records  as  having  72.53^  sugar.  His  first  analysis  of  the  im- 
ported Smyrna,  you  will  observe,  falls  short  of  the  Kadota  exactly  1  2.86% 
in  sugar,  and  his  second  sample  is  shy  3%,  in  favor  of  the  Kadota.  On 
page  287  of  this  book,  Dr.  Eisen  gives  us  the  analysis  of  fourteen  other 
varieties  of  dried  figs  raised  in  the  various  fig-growing  sections  of  the  world 
and  only  three  of  the  fourteen  exceed  in  sugar  content  the  Kadota,  as  pre- 
sented by  our  University  professors.  I  had  no  statistics  at  hand  regarding 
the  Smyrna  fig  of  California,  so  could  not  make  a  comparison.  But,  as  we 
out-sugar  the  Smyrna  figs  of  Asia  Minor,  "we  should  worry." 

Gathers  Golden  Crop  from  Trees  in  November 

From  FIG  &  OLIVE  JOURNAL 
[November,    1918] 

Having  heard  much  in  favor  of  the  Kadota  fig  and  being  rather  im- 
pressed by  the  good  accounts  given  by  those  who  were  engaged  in  its  culture, 
the  publisher  of  the  Journal  gave  himself  a  treat  by  visiting  recently  the 
Kadota  orchard  of  Mr.  W.  Sam  Clark,  near  Sultana. 

After  seeing  what  we  did  on  that  enjoyable  occasion  it  is  in  order  for 
us  to  say  that  our  previous  ideas  regarding  the  Kadota  were  far  short  of 
the  realities  that  faced  us  when  we  stood  in  Mr.  Clark's  orchard  and 
viewed  his  magnificent  trees,  loaded  with  fruit  that  is  hardly  to  be  described 
as  being  less  than  the  concentrated  essence  of  flavor  and  sweetness.  This, 
mind  you,  at  a  time  of  the  year  when  it  is  about  impossible  to  secure  an 
eatable  fresh  fig  in  all  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 
Truly,  the  Kadota  seems  to  be  a  perpetual  bearer,  for  the  trees  in  this 
orchard  were  full  of  figs  in  every  stage  of  development  from  those  just  out 
of  the  bud  to  fully  ripened  figs  heavy  with  sugar.  Only  the  coming  of  frost 
will  put  an  end  to  the  harvesting  of  the  fruit,  we  are  told,  and  even  then  the 
trees  will  carry  a  crop  that,  if  harvested  from  the  average  orchard,  would 
mean  prosperity  for  the  owner. 

Mr.  Clark  is  busy  shipping  his  present  crop  of  Kadotas  to  a  large 
packing  concern  in  San  Francisco,  which  uses  the  fruit  for  preserving,  a 
purpose  to  which  the  Kadota  lends  itself  with  all  the  success  attending  the 
famous  Magnolia  fig  of  Texas,  heretofore  the  recognized  standard  of  excel- 
lence in  this  line  of  fancy  products. 

Since  early  last  June  Mr.  Clark  has  gathered  from  his  trees,  at  intervals 
of  about  thirty-five  days,  successive  crops  of  high-grade  figs  that  have  sold 
at  splendid  prices.  The  Kadota  bears  throughout  the  season  in  cycles,  Mr. 
Clark  explains,  and  each  cycle  occupies  about  thirty-five  days.  This  continues 
until  the  winter's  cold  will  no  longer  permit  the  fruit  to  mature,  and  surely 
no  one  could  reasonably  ask  for  a  longer  season  than  this. 

From  what  we  have  seen  of  the  Kadota  fig  on  the  Clark  place  we  are 
convinced  of  these  facts:  The  trees  make  a  prodigious  growth,  far  out- 
rtripping  any  other  fig  we  have  seen;  they  bear  exceedingly  early,  a  tree 
eighteen  months  from  the  planting  bearing  in  many  instances  as  much  as 
thirty  to  forty  pounds  of  edible  figs;  the  fruit  is  of  good  size  and  literally  as 


28 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


Picking  basket  and  fresh  fruit.  Basket  14x19  inches  by  3%  inches  deep.  Light 
galvanized  iron.  Easily  kept  clean  and  sanitary  and  very  durable;  weight 
:'.'_•  pounds;  18  pounds  fresh  fruit. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  29- 


sweet  as  sugar;  there  is  no  evidence  whatever  that 'the  Kadota  either  splits 
or  sours,  as  do  so  many  other  varieties,  and  finally,  it  seems  to  us,  the  ideal 
green  shipper  and  preserving  fig  has  been  discovered  in  this  variety. 

Clark  Orchard  has  Wealth  of  Kadotas 

From  FIG  &  OLIVE  JOURNAL 
[July,   1919] 

W.  Sam  Clark  has  been  more  than  busy  with  his  Kadota  fig  crop  on 
his  place  near  Sultana,  the  first  crop  being  a  large  one  and  in  much  demand 
for  green  shipment.  The  later  crop,  now  showing  in  a  well-developed  stage 
on  the  trees,  promises  to  be  a  record-breaker.  The  trees,  though  young,  none 
of  them  being  more  than  six  years  old,  are  fairly  covered  with  young  figs. 
Mr.  Clark  has  been  most  successful  in  disposing  of  his  Kadotas  for  good 
prices  to  the  preserving  concerns,  as  well  as  finding  a  remunerative  market 
in  the  larger  cities  where  he  has  been  consigning  the  fruit  intended  for  fresh 
consumption.  After  a  recent  visit  to  the  Clark  orchard  we  would  say  that, 
under  present  conditions  in  the  fig  business,  the  owner  has  the  nearest  thing 
to  a  gold  mine  that  we  know  of.  For  thrifty  growth,  healthy  appearance 
and  yield  of  fruit  the  orchard  of  W.  Sam  Clark  is  probably  unequaled  in 
California. 

Mission  on  the  Borders 

Regardless  of  what  may  be  grown  upon  your  land,  borders  should  be 
planted  to  figs ;  avenues,  roads  and  by-ways  should  be  lined  with  fig  trees,  not 
alone  from  financial  views,  but  to  add  beauty  and  attractiveness  to  your  prop- 
erty. 

The  tremendous  rooting  habits  of  a  fig  permit  it  to  reach  out  great  dis- 
tances and  gather  tree  and  fruit  food  from  the  soil  otherwise  lost  to  the  owner. 

The  roads  and  avenues  of  California  are  so  numerous  and  generous  in 
width  that  vast  acreages  in  the  aggregate  are  lost  to  the  state  as  producing 
agencies  unless  employed  by  the  use  of  the  fig.  Nothing  can  be  more  pleasing 
to  the  eye  than  an  avenue  of  great  spreading  fig  trees,  laden  with  luscious  fruit, 
during  the  heat  of  summer. 

No  money  comes  to  a  land-owner  that  is  as  near  "velvet"  as  the  returns 
of  the  fruit  from  these  borders  of  fig  trees.  There  are  many  cases  that  mav 
be  cited  in  the  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  Valleys  where  the  entire  running 
expenses  of  the  enclosed  areas  are  more  than  balanced  by  the  returns  from  the 
crop  of  dry  figs  gathered  from  these  border  plantings.  All  produced,  we  may 
assume,  from  land  otherwise  lost  to  the  owner.  It  is  strongly  advisable  in  the 
majority  of  cases  that  the  Mission  fig  be  planted  as  a  border  tree. 

This  fig  requires  no  caprification,  no  special  care,  the  fruit  in  drying  falls 
and  is  cheaply  gathered,  and  invariably  finds  a  ready  sale  on  a  market  be 
coming  greater  each  season.     This  fig  is  rapidly  becoming  a  great  favorite,  du*» 
to  its  splendid  flavor,  and  absence  of  sour  and  splits,  and  its  uses  are  more 
varied  than  any  other  dried  fig  of  commerce. 

The  consuming  public  throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada  are 
being  educated  to  the  uses  of  this  fig  and  no  mistake  can  be  made  in  planting 
it  on  borders  and  ditch  banks. 


30  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


The  difficulty  of  caprifying  the  Smyrna,  when  thus  planted,  and  the 
trouble  and  expense  of  gathering  the  Kadota  when  planted  in  border  form, 
leave  us  no  other  choice  of  varieties  that  will  even  remotely  produce  financial 
returns  equal  to  those  obtained  in  the  use  of  the  Mission. 

On  every  hand  we  see  grand  old  Mission  trees  producing  great  crops 
year  after  year,  no  cultivation  or  care  ever  given,  little  or  no  irrigation  prac- 
ticed, yet  with  every  neglect  they  never  fail  in  leaf  or  crop. 

Smyrna 

Next  in  order  in  the  drying  fig  from  point  of  income  we  must  place  the 
Smyrna  of  the  Lob-Injir  variety.  Of  the  white  dry  figs  nothing  ever 
has  been  or  probably  ever  will  be  produced  equal  to  a  perfect  Smyrna  fig. 
There  is  not  now  planted  in  California  sufficient  acreage  of  Smyrnas  to  proper- 
ly supply  the  markets  of  the  very  near  future.  The  beauty  of  this  fig  in  its 
various  forms  of  pack;  its  flavor  and  general  excellence  create  for  it  a 
permanent  place  in  the  favor  of  all  consumers  the  world  over. 

'Tis  hard  to  conceive  an  overproduction  of  this  fruit.  To  the  intending 
planter,  however,  who  is  not  definitely  wedded  already  to  this  fig  of  commerce, 
I  would  suggest  that  he  duly  consider  his  soil,  climatic  conditions,  including 
regular  or  sporadic  breezes  in  the  pollenizing  seasons,  and  supplies  of  capri  figs 
of  his  own  or  from  other  orchards. 

Intelligent  and  careful  consideration  of  soil  for  successful  propagation  of 
the  Smyrna  fig  of  a  quality  to  meet  importation  competition  will  probably  re- 
veal to  the  investigator  that  much  of  the  splitting  and  subsequent  losses  of  this 
fig  is  due  largely  to  a  lack  of  moisture  in  the  soil  at  a  critical  period  in  its 
growth;  soils  whose  composition  are  such  as  to  permit  of  the  evaporation 
of  the  last  irrigation,  or  moisture  supply  from  other  sources  permit  (when 
unusual  periods  of  heat  occur)  the  evaporation  of  moisture  exactly  when  most 
needed. 

The  leaves  of  the  tree  draw  heavily  upon  the  stored  moisture  in  the  soil 
and  it  is  lost  in  various  ways  before  the  growing  and  swelling  fruit  can  secure 
sufficient  to  meet  its  requirements.  Hence  a  stagnation  in  growth  temporarily 
occurs,  the  skin  of  the  fruit  toughens  or  hardens,  and  upon  cool  weather  return- 
ing, or  an  additional  supply  of  moisture  otherwise  occurs,  a  rush  of  sap  to 
the  fruit  results  and  the  skin  of  the  fruit  cannot  expand  and  splitting 
follows,  exactly  in  proportion  to  the  duration  of  the  privation  the  fruit  pre- 
viously sustained.  A  hot  summer  following  a  dry  winter  gives  us  our  worst 
losses  in  Smyrnas  from  splitting,  and  sudden  coolness  following  intense  heat 
produces  the  same  result. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  the  souring  of  the  Smyrna  fig  may  be  traceable  to 
the  same  conditions  as  the  splitting. 

It  is  my  belief  based  on  observation  only,  that  there  is  a  critical  period 
in  the  development  of  this  fig,  when,  if  a  sudden  flow  of  sap  be  diverted  from 
the  tree  and  leaf  "to  the  fruit,"  by  coolness  of  the  days  and  nights,  and  the 
evaporation  just  preceding  the  coolness  is  stopped,  the  excess  sap  permit- 
ted to  go  to  the  fruit  cannot  in  so  short  a  time  become  converted  into  sugar,  and 
while  that  slow  process  is  taking  place  fermentation  sets  in  and  vinegar  forms 
and  we  have  our  sours. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  31 


I  have  no  way  of  proving  my  assertions  in  this  hiatter  and  my  opinions 
may  find  opposition  in  the  investigations  of  others.  However,  I  have  observed 
that  water  slightly  sweetened  will  sour  quickly  and  water  heavily  impregnated 
with  sugar  is  slow  to  sour,  and  that  figs  that  form  and  ripen  before  a  hot  spell 
seldom  sour  and  split,  and  that  immediately  upon  the  return  of  cool  weather 
following  the  hot  spell,  splitting  and  souring  immediately  occur. 

Soil  very  retentive  of  moisture  regardless  of  weather  conditions  in  my 
opinion  will  produce  figSvless  likely  to  sour  and  split.  Hence  soil  composition 
enters  into  the  game  very  prominently. 

A  Smyrna  fig  grower,  having  secured  capri  figs  ready  to  liberate  wasps 
in  plenty,  with  necessary  pollen,  and  finds  his  Smyrna  figs  are  also  in  a  re- 
ceptive condition,  dreads  to  see  a  wind  storm,  regular  or  sporadic,  come 
along,  as  his  little  benefactors  are  blown,  scattered  and  lost,  and  eventually 
he  may  not  fertilize  over  80  per  cent  of  the  figs  set  upon  his  trees. 

Smyrna  figs  on  borders  are  harder  to  pollenize  than  a  block  of  trees  set 
in  rectangular  form,  as  above  named  conditions  make  it  difficult  to  retain  the 
wasps.  In  my  opinion  more  cash  returns  will  always  be  obtained  from  border 
planting  if  the  Mission  fig  be  planted  instead  of  the  Smyrna. 

Adriatic 

Planting  of  Adriatics  in  the  past  has  been  a  profitable  procedure,  but 
no  consideration  was  given  the  soil  for  this  variety,  consequently  we  find  it 
growing  everywhere,  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  the  fruit  sours,  splits,  molds, 
and  has  brought  the  name  of  California  dry  figs  into  disrepute  in  Eastern 
markets  where  it  is  sold  in  competition  with  the  imported  Smyrna. 

The  Pure  Food  Law  has  been  invoked  in  the  season  past  and  a  serious 
loss  to  growers  was  averted  only  by  the  leniency  with  which  the  law  was 
applied.  In  the  seasons  to  come  no  such  leniency  may  be  expected  and  the 
financial  returns  to  growers  of  Adriatics  will  be  seriously  affected. 

Intending  planters  of  this  variety  should  determine  in  advance  that  they 
have  the  soil  wherein  this  fig  will  mature  and  be  a  perfect  fruit;  so  few  and 
far  between  are  these  areas  that  we  may  almost  class  the  Adriatic  as  a  forbid- 
den variety. 

Land  is  too  valuable  and  time  too  precious  and  other  varieties  too  plentiiul 
to  take  a  chance  in  planting  a  variety  which  offers  so  little  for  the  future. 
Aside  from  the  soil,  a  cool  damp  night,  a  fog  or  rain  plays  the  mischief  with  a 
crop  of  Adriatics.  The  salvation  of  the  older  Adriatic  orchards  will  probably 
be  found  in  caprifying  the  fruit,  gathering  it  fresh  as  is  done  with  Mission  and 
Kadotas,  and  employing  dehydration  methods  to  produce  a  better  dried  fig.  A 
very  creditable  article  may  thus  be  obtained  and  confiscation  under  the  Pure 
Food  Law  be  averted. 

The  older  methods  employed  in  the  past  must  surely  be  abandoned. 
Large  quantities  of  Adriatics  will  in  the  future  be  consumed  in  canning  and 
preserving  plants  and  factories,  and  pruning  to  permit  fresh  picking  must  be 
practiced. 


32 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  33 


Description  of  Kadota  Fruit 

The  fruit  of  the  Kadota  fig  is  rather  of  the  oblong  type,  yet  specimens 
very  flat  often  occur.  The  color  is  golden  yellow,  tinting  to  green,  and 
reaches  its  perfection  in  color  and  flavor  in  August  and  September  of  each 
year.  Earlier  and  later  fruit  due  to  climatic  conditions  shade  less  to  golden. 
The  texture  of  the  skin  is  very  "elastic,"  which  virtue  added  to  the  solid  for- 
mation of  the  interior  of  the  fruit  makes  possible  the  fresh  fig  being  shipped  in 
refrigerator  cars  to  Eastern  seaboard  cities  and  also  Eastern  Canadian  destina- 
tions. 

On  young  trees,  the  second  summer  after  planting,  a  crop  of  figs  may 
be  gathered  small  in  sizes  and  lacking  in  flavor,  but  very  sweet. 

The  absence  of  seeds,  or  rather  the  infinitely  small  size  of  the  seed  found 
in  a  Kadota  fig,  is  the  secret  of  this  fig's  long  distance  shipping.  The  fruit  is 
not  broken  in  transit  by  the  incessant  jar  of  a  car,  as  the  seeds  having  no  weight 
do  not  break  down  the  tissues  and  cause  the  fruit  on  arrival  at  destinations  to 
be  classed  as  a  "leaker,"  as  is  the  usual  case  with  other  varieties  when  their 
long  distance  shipment  is  attempted. 

In  the  Eastern  shipment  of  the  Kadota  we  have  secured  fancy  prices  even 
though  the  figs  have  been  1  7  days  in  transit.  That  is  an  exceptional  case, 
however,  as  1  0  to  14  days  is  usually  the  limit.  The  circulation  of  air  in  a 
car  containing  figs  is  an  absolute  essential,  and  if  any  delay  in  transit  is  occa- 
sioned, the  air  becoming  stagnant,  molding  of  the  fruit  will  invariably  follow. 

As  I  have  said  before,  young  trees  bear  a  crop  of  small-sized,  well-col- 
ored figs,  yet  as  the  trees  increase  with  age  the  size  of  the  fruit  also  increases 
until  the  fifth  or  sixth  year,  at  which  age  the  maximum  sizes  seem  to  have 
been  attained,  and  perfection  of  the  fruit  in  color  and  flavor  has  been  secured. 

With  the  age  of  tree  and  size  of  the  fruit  comes  also  the  sealing  of  the 
fig  at  the  blossom  end.  A  drop  of  clear,  slightly  sweetened  wax  will  then  fill 
the  eye  of  the  fig,  the  wax  hardening  and  thus  absolutely  sealing  the  fig  against 
the  intrusion  of  insect  and  moisture,  insuring  the  consumer  of  this  fig,  either 
fresh  or  dry,  a  perfect  product,  which  may  be  eaten  out  of  hand  or  in  cooked 
forms,  there  being  removed  the  fear  that  something  undesirable  may  be  con- 
sumed with  the  fig. 

There  is  another  point  regarding  this  fig  which  I  wish  to  emphasize  right 
here.  No  Kadota  fig  up  to  the  present  time  has  ever  been  known  to  sour,  split, 
or  contain  black  mold.  Hence,  a  consumer  need  never  fear  of  biting  into  a 
big  luscious  fig  and  find  the  interior  filled  with  a  googling  mass  of  vinegar  cr 
a  bunch  of  black  mold,  and  a  grower  can  safely  plant  and  grow  this  fruit 
without  the  haunting  fear  that  his  land  or  some  portion  of  it  will  cause  his 
future  crops  to  be  unmarketable,  or  at  least  cause  him  a  partial  loss  of  profits. 
He  also  is  in  a  great  measure  insured  against  adverse  weather  conditions,  as 
rain,  fog,  or  dew  have  but  little  bearing  on  the  harvesting  of  the  crop.  Rain 
will  delay  the  ripening  and  perhaps  delay  the  picking  of  a  few  figs  at  that  time 
ready  for  market,  and  the  return  of  favorable  weather  means  a  resumption  of 
gathering  and  marketing  of  the  fruit. 

Young  trees  produce  small  fruit,  of  a  size  and  color  greatly  desired  by 
canners  and  preservers,  as  well  as  confectioners  for  glace  and  candy  pur- 


34 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  35 


poses.  As  the  orchard  increases  in  age,  an  increase  in  size  of  fruit  occurs,  until 
the  fifth  and  sixth  summers  find  figs  of  the  genuine  Kadota  in  size  equal  to  the 
largest  of  figs  grown.  Figs  of  3  inches  to  3J/4  inches  in  diameter  occur  and 
extreme  sizes  weigh  3  to  the  pound,  and  in  my  own  orchard  four  and  five 
figs  to  the  pound  are  not  infrequent  in  June  and  early  August  crops.  Later  in 
the  season  slightly  smaller  sizes  occur  until  October,  when,  in  favorable 
seasons,  large  figs  again  develop.  However,  only  about  10%  of  any  crop  is 
extreme  in  size,  while  perhaps  60%  is  medium  and  30%  small  in  sizes.  Each 
size  has  a  special  market  and  all  are  in  growing  demand. 

A  genuine  Kadota  fig  that  is  uncaprified  is  of  a  golden  yellow  color, 
shiny  as  though  varnished,  solid  in  fruit  and  very  sweet  and  of  pleasing  flavor 
differing  from  that  of  any  other  variety. 

The  skin  does  not  prick  or  burn  the  lips,  and  is  very  pleasing  in  taste, 
making  it  unnecessary  to  remove  the  skin  for  eating  out  of  hand  or  serving 
on  the  table,  with  cream  and  sugar,  or  crushing  to  serve  with  ice  cream. 

The  seeds  being  infinitely  small  are  not  detected  while  being  eaten  and 
that  factor  adds  to  the  joy  of  eating  this  fig  by  people  who  have  a  plate  or 
whose  teeth  are  otherwise  troublesome.  The  fig  being  solid  within  is  conse- 
quently a  heavy  fruit,  hence  the  returns  from  a  tree  loaded  with  fruit  is  greater 
than  would  be  suspected. 

Climatic  conditions  cause  a  variation  in  this  fig  not  observable  in  others. 
Coastal  regions  produce  no  June  crop  and  the  size  of  the  fruit  in  August  is 
greater  than  the  interior  valleys  produce.  The  color  is  likewise  different.  Less 
of  the  golden  color  is  found,  but  more  shades  of  green  occur.  Imperial  Valley 
grows  a  smaller  fruit  than  any  other  section  of  which  I  have  knowledge;  the 
color  is  golden,  however.  The  moisture  content  is  less  and  the  drying  fruit 
is  hard  and  unsatisfactory.  The  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento  Valleys  will 
eventually  produce  the  choicest  of  this  delicacy. 

The  caprified  Kadota  is  vastly  different  from  the  uncaprified,  and  is 
green  in  color  when  ripened,  the  interior  being  a  deep  shade  of  red,  the  seeds 
large  and  heavy,  the  sugar  content  increased,  and  general  appearance  radically 
differing  from  the  uncaprified. 

Caprification  does  not  cause  an  increase  in  size  of  fruit:  however,  in- 
crease in  freight  being  noticeable,  both  fresh  and  dry.  The  fruit  of  the  June 
crop  is  found  on  the  tips  of  the  growth  of  the  preceding  season  and  from  four 
to  ten  figs  will  be  clustered  on  the  terminal  of  a  limb,  and  as  the  sizes  increase 
they  press  into  one  another,  making  a  great  cluster  of  golden  colored  fruit,  very 
beautiful  and  spectacular. 

The  crops  in  following  months  are  on  tips  of  new  growth  and  scattered 
along  down  the  branch,  a  fig  invariably  occurring  at  the  axel  of  each  leaf 
which  grows  as  the  limbs  extend  in  length.  Consequently  every  new  leaf 
harbors  a  fig  and  a  continuous  crop  occurs  throughout  the  ripening  season. 

Description  of  Tree  and  Habits 

The  Kadota  tree  in  leaf  and  form  resembles  in  many  respect  three  other 
varieties  of  figs  long  grown  in  California  and  elsewhere,  and  this  resemblance 
has  occasioned  a  sad  mixture  in  orchards  desired  by  growers  to  be  true  Kadota. 

The  tree  is  an  upright  grower  of  wonderous  thrift  and  vigor,  and  unless 
intelligently  pruned  from  its  very  infancy  will  fail  to  make  the  desired  shaped 


36  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


tree  and  produce  the  maximum  crop  of  which  it  is  capable.  Its  vitality  and 
tenacity  almost  invariably  produce  a  100%  stand  wherever  the  rootings  are 
planted.  So  sure  is  its  growth  that  in  my  nursery  business  I  invariably  guar- 
antee to  replace  all  stock  which  fails  to  grow,  and  return  all  money  paid  for 
such  rootings  regardless  of  soil  conditions  if  the  planting  occurs  before  March 
/5th.  Strong  alkali  land  is  the  exception  to  my  guarantee,  although  we  have 
thriving  Kadota  orchards  in  land  considered  alkaline. 

The  leaves  on  the  tree  differ  vastly  in  form  one  from  another.  Some 
are  five-lobed,  some  only  three,  and  again  no  lobes  at  all  appear,  being  a  very 
large  oval-shaped  leaf,  some  being  of  enormous  size  in  thrifty  trees. 

This  fig  has  proven  to  be  as  frost  resistant  as  any  other  grown  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  even  more  so  than  the  more  tender  varieties — young  Mission,  for 
instance.  Excessive  frosts  have  frozen  Kadota  orchards  to  the  ground,  yet 
they  come  up  again.  In  my  own  case,  on  one  plot  of  eight  acres  in  the  spring 
of  1917,  I  found  not  a  sign  of  life  on  any  tree  above  the  ground,  yet  not  a 
single  tree  had  to  be  replaced,  as  1  00%  came  from  the  roots  and  is  now  as 
splendid  an  orchard  as  can  be  found  in  the  State. 

How  to  Plant 

In  preparing  your  land  for  planting  you  will  find  this  system,  as  I  have, 
in  many  respects  superior  to  any  of  the  many  other  systems  now  in  use.  By 
this  system  you  may  level  in  one  section  of  your  field,  blast  or  plant  in  any 
ether,  and  no  operation  will  interfere  with  any  of  the  others  simultaneously 
performed. 

The  correct  tree  location  may  instantly  be  determined  regardless  of  what 
section  of  the  field  you  may  be  standing  in  at  the  time.  To  use  this  system, 
determine  your  tree  distances  with  wire  or  tape,  either  on  your  own  borders 
or  just  outside  your  own  property  or  area  to  be  planted.  Place  whitewashed 
lath  or  4  ft.  stakes  at]  proper  distances  entirely  around  future  orchard  loca- 
tion outside  of  planting  area.  Next,  quarter  your  area  with  a  similar  row  of 
stakes,  NOT  where  trees  are  to  be  planted,  but  somewhere  between  rows. 

Now  step  into  any  quarter  of  your  location,  the  northwest  for  instance. 
Use  your  shovel-handle  to  help  you  line  up  the  stakes  numbered  in  this  dia- 
gram for  demonstration  purposes,  looking  east,  24  and  13.  Then  looking 
south,  line  up  35  and  Eye,  (I)  and  you  have  W  as  correct  location  for  that 
particular  tree. 

Next,  go  into  the  southeast  quarter,  look  north  and  line  up  38  and  E, 
and  looking  west  you  get  33  and  1  1  in  line,  and  the  exact  position  for  that 
tree  is  accurately  determined,  marked  Z. 

Any  other  tree  location  in  the  entire  orchard  may  as  readily  and  with 
absolute  accuracy  be  found. 

You  may  be  planting,  blasting,  scraping  or  plowing  in  any  of  the  four 
quarters  at  the  same  time  and  no  operation  need  interfere  with  any  other. 
Leave  the  entire  staking  system  in  place  until  the  last  tree  is  planted. 

If  a  stake  becomes  knocked  down  it  may  accurately  be  replaced,  as 
you  have  two  other  stakes  to  realign  it  with  in  replacing. 

By  this  system  much  worry  and  annoyance  may  be  avoided,  as  no  little 
stakes  are  used  and  no  planting  board,  and  your  orchard  will  always  be  in 
perfect  alignment,  even  though  your  land  may  be  rough,  rolling  or  on  a 
hillside. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  37 


Clark  Method  of  Laying  off  Tract  for  Planting. 
North 

A        B         C        D        E         F        G 
•          i  ~"       •          i          i          i          i 

i- 

23- 

-12 

W 

2- 

24- 

-13 

3- 

25- 

-14 

4- 

26- 

-15 

5- 

27-                   ? 

-16 

34       35       36       37       38       39       40 

W  6- 

... 

-17E 

7- 

29- 

-18 

8- 

30- 

-19 

Y 

9- 

31  - 

-20 

10- 

32- 

-21 

z 

11  - 

33-       r 

-22 

HI         J         K         L        M        N 
South 


38 


THE    KADOTA    FIG 


KADOTA    FIGS 

\«.ii.'c    size   of   silver   dollar   as    contrasted    with    >ix«-    of 
golden  yellow  and  glossy  as  though  varnished. 


lift's.       The     fruit     is     a 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  39 


Frozen  Nursery  Stock 

As  I  said  in  another  portion  of  this  book,  the  planter  would  do  well  to 
know  the  habits  of  his  nurseryman.  But  very  few  of  the  average  nurserymen 
know  as  much  about  fig  nursery  stock  as  they  do  of  other  varieties.  They  do 
not,  as  a  rule,  appreciate  the  extreme  delicacy  of  the  roots  of  the  baby  hg 
trees  they  are  selling.  A  breath  of  hot  or  dry  air  will  injure  them,  and  the 
most  extreme  care  should  be  exercised  at  all  times  in  their  handling.  Exposed 
to  the  sun,  they  are  injured  or  killed.  Exposed  to  frost,  the  same  results  occur. 

Frost  will  injure  a  nursery-bed,  and  the  trees,  large  and  small,  may  be 
so  chilled,  if  not  actually  frozen,  as  to  be  almost  useless.  A  frozen  rooting 
will  show  the  top  black,  and,  at  times,  bent  over.  At  only  a  short  space  at 
the  top  may  this  be  noticeable,  and  while  the  buds  are  bright  and  green  in 
appearance  all  down  the  tree,  yet  it  may  be  frozen  to  the  roots. 

Let  the  planter  take  his  knife,  and  with  the  small  blade  cut  into  and 
upward  deeply  in  the  bark  of  the  stick.  Now  press  the  portion  so  cut  DOWN 
and  back  into  place.  If  milk  issues  from  the  wound,  that  part  of  the  stick  on 
down  to  the  roots  is  uninjured.  If  nothing  issues  from  the  wound,  or  only  a 
little  watery  substance,  you  may  rest  assured  that  from  the  incision  upward  to 
the  top,  the  tree  is  frozen.  The  tree  may  be  frozen  only  a  portion  of  its 
length,  and  by  so  prospecting  downward  you  may  determine  exactly  the 
point  where  the  tree  should  be  cut  off  and  waxed  over. 

In  the  case  of  the  Kadota,  it  should  be  cut  to  within  1  0  or  12  inches 
from  the  ground  when  planted,  and  if  frosted  the  frozen  part  is  thus  cut  away. 
In  any  event,  the  stick  should  be  cut  on  down  until  the  milk  will  flow  freely, 
even  though  it  should  be  necessary  to  cut  it  off  level  with  the  ground,  in  which 
event  the  tree  will  branch  AT  the  ground  instead  of  a  few  inches  farther  up. 
Either  method  is  good,  as  the  results  desired  may  thus  be  obtained,  namely,  a 
low,  spreading  tree,  easily  picked  without  the  use  of  ladders. 

Here  is  something  to  remember:  When  a  tree  is  growing  the  sap  flows 
upward  from  roots  to  leaf  and  branch.  When  the  same  tree  is  dormant  the 
roots  are  sustained  by  a  DOWNWARD  trend  of  the  sap  in  the  tree.  The 
more  the  roots  draw  on  the  tree  the  more  HARDENED  and  DORMANT 
it  becomes.  Nursery  stock  in  autumn,  not  exposed  to  very  severe  frosts,  slowly 
becomes  dormant  and  later  in  the  season  may  withstand  a  severe  freeze  without 
injury.  However,  if  the  frosting  takes  place  early  in  the  autumn,  the  tree  is 
caught  full  of  sap  and  the  frozen  portion  sours  and  generates  a  poison,  which 
is  slowly  drawn  down  into  the  roots,  causing  even  the  unfrozen  part  of  the  tree 
to  die,  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  so  infecting  the  roots  that  they  in  turn  are 
killed. 

However,  in  most  cases  if  too  long  a  time  does  not  elapse  from  freezing 
to  cutting  away  the  frosted  portion,  the  tree  may  prove  as  good  as  any.  If 
planted  and  left  uncut  and  unwaxed,  the  loss  is  almost  certain.  My  experi- 
ence has  been  that  if  the  frozen  tree  is  in  orchard  form  and  frosted  portions 
cut  away  and  roots  never  removed  from  the  ground,  it  will  nearly  always 
come  again.  Furthermore,  the  Kadota  has  proven  far  more  sturdy  under 
the  freezing  and  cutting  back  than  any  of  the  other  figs  I  have  ever  handled. 
They  seem  to  have  more  vitality  under  such  abuse  and  a  satisfactory  stand 
may  be  secured  from  stock  frosted,  and  cut  back,  if  planted  early  in  the 
season. 


40  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


My  nurseries  this  season,  1919,  were  caught  in  heavy  frosts  very  early  in 
the  Autumn  and  my  losses  were  extremely  heavy.  Great  disappointment  will 
come  to  my  customers,  who  have  ordered  stock  and  have  been  assured  my 
nurseries  would  supply  them,  only  at  the  last  moment  to  find  my  frozen  stock 
useless,  and  their  plans  ruined  for  this  season. 

While  my  losses  are  heavy,  I  fully  appreciate  that  the  growers'  losses  are 
heavier  still.  I  am  apportioning  to  those  ordering  very  early,  and  the  year 
before,  all  I  have  in  my  nurseries  which  stand  a  chance  at  all,  and  here  I 
again  assure  my  customers  that  everij  rooting  I  supply  to  them  is  supposed  to 
grow.  If  it  is  planted  before  March  15,  and  it  fails  to  grow,  next  season  I 
will  supply  another  tree  of  the  same  price,  free,  and  will  refund  the  original 
price  paid  for  the  defunct  rooting. 

I  am  in  the  nursery  business  to  STAY  and  a  satisfied  customer  is  my 
best  advertiser. 


THE    KADOTA    FIG  41 


Fig  Pointers  in  General 


Fig  rootings  are  more  delicate  than  any  other  deciduous  tree  of  which 
I  have  any  knowledge.  Rootlets  exposed  to  drying  winds  or  sun,  even  for 
a  short  time,  will  die. 

A  frozen  nursery  fig  tree  should  be  cut  back  severely  below  the  freeze 
and  waxed  if  possible.  The  frozen  sap  is  poison  and  is  drawn  down  into 
the  roots  and  the  entire  system  is  impregnated  and  plant  will  often  die. 

A  "growing"  fig  tree  carries  sap  from  roots  to  branches.  When  dor- 
mant sap  flows  from  branches  to  roots. 


Spotted  fig  orchards  are  often  occasioned  by  failure  of  planter  to  cut 
back  the  newly  planted  tree  to  balance  lacerated  and  reduced  root-system; 
it's  hard  for  30%  root  system  to  support  100%  top  growth. 


Roots  supporting  life  of  fig  tree  go  downward  to  great  depth;  almost 
invisible  hair-like  fruit  feeders  grow  near  surface  of  ground  in  first  moisture 
and  are  easily  plowed  up  and  destroyed,  reducing  season's  crop. 


Mission   and   Adriatic    figs    are   both   improved   by   the   fig   wasp;    the 
Adriatic  in  more  pronounced  manner. 


Cool  nights  improve  the  size  of  Kadota  figs.     Hot  days  improve  color. 


A  fig  tree  will  grow  and  bear  heavy  crops  beside  a  running  stream  or 
near  a  spring;  it  will  die  young  in  land  holding  stagnant  water. 


It  is  not  advisable  to  use  manure  or  other  fertilizer  around  a  young  fig 
tree  unless  a  vast  amount  of  water  is  available  at  all  seasons. 


Lime  in  soil  is  an  absolute  essential  for  the  production  of  fat  meaty  figs. 


Whitewash  on  a  young  fig  tree  is  a  stimulant  as  well  as  a  protector 
against  sunburn  and  rabbits. 


Figs  planted  in  sandy  land  are  more  susceptible  to  the  nematode  worm 
than  those  grown  on  more  heavy  land. 


Soil  that  runs  together  and  bakes  hard  is  usually  safe  from  nematode. 
Tomato  vines  are  the  natural  host  for  this  pest.     Keep  them  away  from  a  fig. 


Grafting  over  a  fig  to  a  more  desirable  variety  is  good.     A  bud-graft 
makes  the  best  union.     Less  apt  to  break. 


42  THE    KADOTA    FIG 


Alfalfa  grown  between  the  rows  of  young  figs  is  bad  business.      Too 
many  gophers;  grow  corn,  beans  or  something  else  first  few  years. 


Smyrna  figs  dry  away  three  to  one.     Kadota  caprified,  two  to  one,  un- 
caprified  2J/2  to  1. 


A  very  superior  dried  fig  is  obtained  by  dipping  fresh  figs  in  boiling 
water  two  minutes,  then  in  boiling  syrup  (2  pounds  sugar  to  gallon  of  water), 
dry  on  trays  four  days;  product  is  very  tender  and  clear. 


Dip  dry  figs  in  boiling  brine  (2  oz.  salt  to  gallon  of  water)  two  minutes, 
place  immediately  in  tins,  lid  and  seal.     Will  keep  indefinitely. 


Adriatic  figs  grown  in  heavy  land  seem  to  sour  every  year.  Picking 
fresh  and  dehydrating  or  canning  will  solve  the  difficulty  and  save  pure  food 
confiscation. 


The  Kadota  fig  will  be  the  agent  for  revolutionizing  the  growing,  hand- 
ling and  marketing  of  California  figs.  It  ushers  in  new  systems  and  new 
ideas.  It  is  truly  a  California  product. 


A  Canner's  Opinion  of  the  Kadota 

San  Francisco,  California,  November  1  1  th,  1919. 
Mr.  W.  Sam  Clark 
Sultana,  California 
Dear  Sir:— 

For  the  past  several  years  we  have  been  using  fresh  Kadota  and  White 
Endich  figs  for  preserving  purposes.  Some  people  claim  that  these  two  figs 
are  identical  and  that  the  difference  noted  is  due  to  the  different  localities  in 
which  they  are  grown.  But  we  think  that  the  Kadota  is  an  improved  strain 
of  the  White  Endich  and  have  noted  these  differences: 

Our  White  Endich  growers  seem  to  have  but  one  commercial  crop. 
This  comes  about  July  1  5th  and  ends  in  late  August.  Our  Kadota  growers 
have  a  crop  of  considerable  size  in  June.  They  then  ship  again  in  August 
and  from  then  on  quite  continually,  the  weather  permitting,  into  October  and 
even  November.  Our  receipts  of  White  Endich  have  always  been  small  or 
medium  in  size;  whereas  Kadotas  run  six  and  even  four  to  the  pound.  This 
increase  in  size  may  be  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Kadotas  come  from  young 
orchards  and  the  White  Endich  from  old  trees.  Placing  the  Kadota  beside 
the  White  Endich,  no  difference  has  been  noticed.  But  when  boxes  of  one 
variety  are  compared  with  those  of  the  other,  we  have  noticed  that  the 
Kadotas  appear  more  golden  yellow  and  richer  looking  than  the  White 
Endich. 

Both  are  good  preserving  figs  but  we  prefer  the  Kadota. 
Respectfully  yours, 

PACIFIC  COAST  SYRUP  CO. 
By  H.  L.  Kimball,  Superintendent. 


THE    KADOTA,  FIG 


The  Fig  Tree 

BY 
J.    C.    FORKNER 


I  am  the  Fig  Tree 

I  was  born  in  the  Garden  of  Eden 

I  furnished  both  food  and  clothing 

For  Adam  and  Eve 

For  Six  Thousand  years 

I  have  been  a  comfort  and  a  solace 

To  man 

During  all  these  thousands  of  years 

While  man  was  evolving 

I  clung  close  to  the  shores  of  the  Med- 
iterranean 

My  birthplace 

Man  found  many  lands 

Many  climes  where  he  could  prosper 

I   found  none 

'Till  about   1  50  years  ago 

Junipero  Serra,  the  Franciscan  Father 

Planted  me  in  California 

When  my  roots  went  down  into  that 
blessed  earth 

I  then  realized  a  new  home 

And  a  new  destiny 

Was  for  me 

I  sojourned  many  years 

In  the  Golden  State 

In  the  Southland,  along  the  coast 

And  around  the  bay 

Giving  the  best  I  could 

Where  Sun  and  Soil  and  Moisture 

But  partly  met  my  needs 

I  knew 

Somewhere  in  the  State 

Of  a  Thousand  Valleys 

I  would  find  a  place 

Where  I  could  do  my  best 

For  you  must  know 

I  am  particular 

The  winters  must  not  be  cold 


I  must  have  no  rains  fall  upon  me 

From  June  'till  October 

The  air  during  the  same  season 

Must  be  almost  bone  dry 

The  soil  must  be  to  my  liking 

Plenty  of  lime  and  potash 

The  drainage  must  be  perfect 

For  one  hundred  days  the  sun  must 
shine 

From  a  clear  sky 

And  reach  near  one  hundred  degrees 

Of  heat  each  day 

Before  I  give  perfect  fruit 

Now  you  can  see  why  for  six  thousand 
years 

I  clung  to  the  shores  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean 

Few  places  on  the  Globe  suit  my  fancy 

One  day  near  seventy-five  years  ago 

A  roving  Argonaut  planted  me 

In  the  red  soil 

On  the  western  slope  of  the  Sierras 

Near  where  Fresno 

The  Garden  of  the  Sun 

Was  destined  to  be 

That  day  I   knew 

I  had  found  the  spot 

Where  I  could  do  my  best 

It  has  taken  all  these  years 

For  Californians  to  see 

How  perfectly  I  work 

When  my  requirements  are  met 

I  am  now  producing  fifteen  million 
pounds  each  year 

In  my  new  home 

There  are  one  hundred  million  people 

In  the  dear  old  U.  S.  A. 

They  can  eat  my  present  yearly  supply 


44 


THE  -KADOTA    FIG 


On    Thanksgiving  "Day    or    Christmas 

Day 

Or  any  day 

And  have  not  near  enough 
I  call  upon  you,  my  friends 
Plant  me 

Plant  me  by  the  thousands 
I  will  bring  a  blessing  to  you 
And  to  all  mankind 
Do  not  be  afraid  of  too  many  figs 
Such  a  thing  cannot  be 
In  the  J.  C.  Forkner  Fig  Gardens 
There  will  be  ten  thousand  acres  of  me 
This  is  a  bagatelle 
To   the   increasing   millions   who   must 

eat 
There  could  be  dozens  of  J.  C.  Forkner 

Fig  Gardens 
Yet   untold  numbers  in   America  will 

be  born 


Grow  to  manhood's  estate 

And   pass    away   never   having   tasted 

my  fruit 

I  know  these  things  to  be  true 
For  I  have  lived 
Since  the  beginning  of  Man 
In  all  the  world  today 
There  is  not  produced  enough  of  my 

fruit 

In  any  one  year 
To  make  two  ounces 
For  each  of  the  world's  inhabitants 
And  yet  when   planted   in   the  proper 

place 

I  live  forever 
I  have  no  disease 
And  for  Six  Thousand  years 
I  have  not  failed  to  produce  a  crop 
Each  year 


Copyright  1920,  W.  Sam  Clark 


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